


The Mayor's Princess

by cheshire6845



Series: Someone for Everyone [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dark One Emma, F/F, Madam Mayor Regina, Multiple Alternate Universes, Pirate Queen Regina, Princess Emma, Sequel, not a pirate story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:20:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 26,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22151683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheshire6845/pseuds/cheshire6845
Summary: A/U Dark One Emma Swan and her Pirate Queen Regina decide to play matchmaker for Madam Mayor Regina MillsSequel to "The Queen's Pirate"*First chapter is the epilogue from the first story which sets this story up. As long as the reader can roll with Emma as the Dark One and Regina as a Pirate Queen, you shouldn't have to read the first story to read this. (I think)
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Series: Someone for Everyone [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1594174
Comments: 65
Kudos: 225





	1. Previously on Once Upon a Time

**Author's Note:**

> This came about because I wanted to see Emma and Regina seeing different versions of themselves. It gets slightly crazy but was a lot of fun to write. No warnings just lots of alternate universes.

_It was early morning when Emma made her way out to the deck. The sky was slate grey with no rays of sunshine spoiling the morning calm. She tucked a black rolled cigarillo between her lips and smirked at the small act of defiance. Regina still hated it when she smoked. Mostly because she had picked up the habit, too, but only partook when Emma did._

_It had been years since the death of Snow White, and the chaos that had followed her demise was finally beginning to calm. King James had proven to be more brawn than brain and every kingdom Snow had acquired managed to secede from his reign. His father, King George, had been killed by one of James’ many bastard sons and was now ruling over George’s kingdom. It was rumored the bastard king had two bastard brothers supporting him, and they had designs on taking over James’ kingdom as well. They were currently the only two kingdoms still fighting. Everyone else in the Enchanted Forest was staying well out of it._

_Except for Maleficent. She enjoyed her occasional fly-overs of James’ army, raining down dragon fire across the disputed lands, scorching anything and everything that happened to be in her path. Her efforts were making his kingdom even more worthless than it already was. Maleficent had chosen to support the boys since her land bordered theirs; she’d much rather deal with the sons as neighbors than James. They were inexperienced in ruling and Maleficent would have no problem manipulating them into doing whatever she wanted. If the Dark One had been labeled the patron saint of bastards and dragons for her hand in all the madness, Emma was okay with that._

_Emma released a puff of smoke as the sky began to turn to shades of pink and orange, the sun finally announcing its presence. The day crew was beginning to appear on deck, slowly waking and beginning their daily routines. Emma glanced up at the wheel but wasn’t quite ready to take it over yet. She was in no hurry. They had nothing before them but another day of open sea._

_The Dark One itched at the lack of stimulus. Maybe she’d pop over to Mulan’s ship for a day or two; the Asian warrior and her first mate were always good for a distraction. Mulan had had her private meeting with Aurora. With Emma and Regina’s help, she’d kidnapped the royal for a few months; they had a good time together, rekindling their secret relationship from the past, but ultimately they realized that they had both changed over the years. Mulan accepted a “ransom” for Aurora and the queen went home to her prince. Three months later, Mulan had found her current first mate serving drinks in a tavern. She was a werewolf that went by the name of Ruby._

_Emma grinned just thinking about the pair. Whereas Mulan was quiet and serious, Ruby was a tornado of outgoing energy. The pirate captain had tried being logical and demure, and the werewolf had run right through those walls with declarations of love at first sight and statements like ‘screw fate’. Oddly enough, Regina had become fast friends with Ruby._

_“What has you grinning this early in the morning?”_

_Emma didn’t turn as arms slid around her waist from behind and a chin tucked itself on top of her shoulder. She continued grinning. “Good morning.”_

_“Hmmm,” came the hummed reply as her wife lazily nuzzled behind her ear. “Your thinking was so loud I could hear it from our quarters.” Regina snagged the cigarillo as she slipped around the blonde and leaned back against the railing. “What’s on your mind, Dark One?”_

_Emma watched appreciatively as the brunette took a long drag of the rich tobacco, her lips puckered seductively around the cigarillo. Those same lips that had done such wonderful things to her last night. Deep brown eyes looking up at her from beneath dark lashes as the tip of a pink tongue poked between luscious red lips, lips that curled around her-_

_Smoke hit Emma in the face and she refocused in time to see Regina’s painted mouth curl into a smile. “Focus, dear.”_

_“Oh, I was focused,” Emma laughed, shaking off the memory in favor of tasting the real thing. She widened her stance to pin Regina between her body and the railing. Regina flicked the last of the cigarillo overboard and wrapped her arms up behind the blonde’s head, pulling her down for a heated kiss._

_After a minute, and a grumbled harrumph from Leroy, they pulled apart. Regina reached up and wiped away some of her lipstick from Emma’s mouth. The green eyes that patiently watched her still looked troubled. Regina held her face. “What is it?”_

_“Nothing bad,” Emma assured her, catching a palm and kissing it._

_“But?” Regina pressed._

_“But…” Emma let out a frustrated sigh. “Don't you think things have gotten a little…mundane, lately?”_

_“CAPTAIN!!” Leroy shouted across the deck. “LOOK!!”_

_Regina closed her eyes. “If we’re about to be swallowed by a whale, I blame you.”_

_Emma patted her shoulder, looking past her. “It’s okay; it’s just a portal…”_

_“Just a portal, she says,” Regina muttered._

_“In the sky.”_

_“What?” Regina whirled around, looking where Leroy was pointing. “Since when do portals look like that?”_

_A decent distance off the starboard bow, a fiery ring was blazing several feet above the water. As they watched, a single figure fell out of the ring, splashing down into the ocean._

_“Leroy,” Emma commanded, heading for the wheel, “bring her about. Let’s go fish whoever that is out of the drink.”_

_“Aye, captain.”_

_Twenty minutes later, the crew of The Darkness was pulling a young man, coughing and spitting up water, onto the deck. Emma grabbed hold of a rope and swung down from the upper deck to land directly in front of him. Standing off to the side, Regina rolled her eyes at her wife’s dramatics, but smirked as she’d certainly gained the attention of the semi-drowned rat._

_He stared at her boots and then dragged his eyes all the way up, pushing himself up to a sitting position as he did so. “Are you-?” Another coughing fit racked his chest and some of the crew crowding around him chuckled._

_“He must be a land lover, Captain,” Gus said, good naturedly. “Doesn’t know what to do with the sea in his lungs.”_

_The young man glared up at them but the look was ruined by his watering eyes and running sinuses. Regina reconsidered her assessment. He was still a bit of a boy, couldn’t be more than fifteen or sixteen. The age of a man in their world, but if the portal was any indication, life in his realm was a bit easier on the young._

_Emma stood with her hands on her hips, towering over the boy. He looked familiar. “Who are you, kid? What are you doing out here?”_

_“I came to find,” he cleared his throat again, “Emma Swan.”_

_“You’ve found her.” Emma drew her sword and leveled it at the boy’s neck. His eyes widened to the size of saucers as he pressed himself back against the railing. “Now, I’ll ask you again, who are you?”_

_“That’s enough, Emma,” Regina said, choosing to move forward and join the crowd. “Put your sword away. You’re scaring him.”_

_“Good,” Emma said, winking as she sheathed her sword. “We still-”_

_“Mom?!”_

_Emma and Regina both whipped their heads around as the young man scrambled to his feet. Several of the crew crowded forward, putting themselves between the stranger and their captains. A knife and a pistol were drawn and leveled at him._

_“Whoa! Hey!” He quickly held up his hands. “I come in peace!”_

_“You want us to throw him overboard, Captain?” Leroy asked._

_“No! No, no, please, don’t!” the young man wasn’t quite begging, but he was close._

_“All right, that’s enough,” Regina snapped. “Everybody get back to work,” she said. “The captain and I can handle one teenage boy.”_

_There was a fair bit of grumbling and the boy may have gotten accidentally shoved a couple of times as the crew sulked away. Emma crossed her arms over her chest, letting Regina take the lead as she watched the boy closely. Even with the threats against him, he’d barely taken his eyes off Regina._

_When everyone had finally cleared out, he swallowed and offered Regina an uncertain smile. “You look…wow. I mean, amazing!” He glanced at the blonde captain who only cocked her head to the side and he felt his ears burn. “Beautiful. Regal even in your…pirate…costume?”_

_Regina arched an eyebrow at him and he closed his mouth with an audible click, gaze locking firmly on the deck. She glanced at Emma. “He hasn’t been in the sun that long. Maybe he did swallow too much sea water.”_

_Emma shrugged. Something about the boy struck a chord deep within her that she didn’t quite recognize. In this particular instance, she also felt a bit of empathy for him. “He’s not the first person to get tongue tied around you.”_

_Regina smirked at her. “He won’t be the last,” she promised._

_Now the boy grimaced a bit and shook his head. “That is so weird.”_

_“You’re weird,” Emma stated, hardening her tone again. The longer they stood there, the more uncomfortable she felt about his familiarity. She wanted answers. “What kind of a wizard falls out of a portal into the middle of the ocean?”_

_“I’m not a wizard,” he said straightening. He set his shoulders. “My name is Henry.” He looked at Regina. “And I’m your son.”_

_~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_

_Emma scrubbed a hand over her face. “Okay, let me see if I’ve got this straight.” She pointed at Henry. “You’re from a different realm; a realm where a version of her,” she pointed at Regina, “cast a curse to bring everyone from the Enchanted Forest to a land without magic.”_

_Henry nodded. “She did it to save us.”_

_“From the Black Fairy who was planning to kill everyone,” Emma finished for him. She glanced at Regina who had been oddly quiet during the whole explanation._

_Regina caught her questioning look and shrugged. “It is possible. Curses like that do exist but they require great sacrifice on the part of the caster.”_

_“My Mom sacrificed herself in order to cast it,” Henry said, getting to his feet, “and if you don’t help me-”_

_Regina gently laid a hand on his shoulder and he retook his seat. “What do you mean she sacrificed herself?”_

_“My Mom’s life is powering the curse. It wasn’t supposed to last as long as it has, and if it isn’t broken soon…she’ll die.”_

_Emma’s eyes darkened; she didn’t like the idea of any version of Regina in any universe dying. “How was the curse supposed to be broken?”_

_“Only a Savior, a product of True Love, can break the curse.” He looked pointedly at Emma. “We had one. A baby that had just been born within the kingdom. Once she grew to adulthood, she’d be able to break the curse. But we were betrayed.”_

_“Betrayed?” Regina asked. “How?”_

_“The Blue Fairy, a trusted confidant, appeared to the baby’s parents claiming that my Mom had failed in casting the curse. Blue told them that the Black Fairy was on her way and that the only way to save the baby, hell, the entire kingdom, was to send the baby through a portal to another realm.”_

_“Emma.” Regina reached out and touched the blonde’s arm. After they’d killed Snow White and helped Mulan kidnap Aurora, Regina had introduced Emma to August. Emma had finally learned from the Author that in another realm her parents had been Snow White and Prince Charming. Emma had scoffed at the idea, but Regina had found Emma later trying to recreate the pages in the book that August had torn out._

_August’s explanation and version of events surrounding Emma’s arrival in this realm were a bit different than Henry’s. August had known Emma’s true parentage and that she had been pushed through a portal in an effort to save her from a dark curse, but he certainly hadn’t mentioned anything about fairies and betrayals. Nor Regina casting a curse._

_Emma didn’t take Regina’s offered hand, but she did stand close enough so that their sides were touching. “So this baby got sent to another realm, and this other Regina cast the curse unknowingly.”_

_“No, she knew,” Henry admitted. “In order to save the kingdom, Regina, my mom, cast the curse regardless. It was the only way to defeat the Black Fairy. And even though it was prophesized, the Savior hasn’t shown up.” He locked his gaze on Emma. “So, I came looking for her.”_

_Emma didn’t back down from the stare of a boy. “Too bad all you found was me.”_

_Henry rushed to his feet, moving closer to Emma despite Regina’s efforts to stop him. “You’re the baby that was pushed through the portal. The portal wouldn’t have brought me here if you weren’t.”_

_“I’m no one’s Savior, kid,” Emma said._

_“Why? Because you’re the Dark One? You can be both,” he said, snorting at their look of surprise. “Yeah, I did my research. You are the product of true love. And you’re the only that can save my Mom.”_

_Emma growled in her chest and paced away from him before she hit him. She patted her pockets for a cigarillo but knew Regina, her Regina, would kill her if she lit up in their quarters. She glared at her wife for good measure. “You’re being awfully quiet about all this.”_

_Regina lifted her head and looked between the blonde and the boy. She shrugged. “I guess I just don’t see what the problem is.”_

_Emma blinked. “You believe him?”_

_“You don’t?” Regina asked, arching an eyebrow. She knew damn well Emma believed him or else she would’ve already called him out for lying. What she couldn’t figure out was why Emma was trying so hard not to believe him._

_Frustrated, Emma threw up her hands. “The timing alone makes this impossible.”_

_“Timing?” Regina and Henry exchanged a look._

_Emma saw it. “Yes, timing. In standard years, I’m closing in on fifty years, yet you were what, fourteen, fifteen when the curse was cast?”_

_“Sixteen.”_

_“And the curse was supposed to be broken when I turned twenty-eight, right? That’s what you said.” She didn’t bother waiting for his agreement. “If you were already a teenager when I was born and the curse was cast, then why haven’t you aged?”_

_“Because we were asleep until the twenty-eighth year, but now we're awake and frozen until the curse is broken. Mom's power is the only thing keeping the magic from collapsing.”_

_Regina frowned. "What happens if the magic collapses?"_

_The boy shrugged. "We're not entirely sure. We might all forget who we are; we might die."_

_"Or you might simply go on living your lives but without magic," Emma snapped, thinking it the most likely outcome._

_"All magic comes with a price." Henry glared at Emma. “My Mom isn't going to risk everyone's lives on a possibility. She'll keep the magic going until it kills her. Or until a Savior breaks the curse." He took a breath. "Are you really going to let my Mom die because you don’t like the timing?”_

_No, she wasn't, but that didn't mean she was going to let some boy think he'd persuaded her. She opened her mouth to shut him down but was stopped when Regina spoke up._

_“Emma, you’ve always said time moves differently across realms,” Regina interjected, “and even more so when curses are involved.”_

_Emma had known her argument was weak, but she hadn’t expected Regina to argue against her. She flicked her gaze from her wife to the boy. “Kid, give us the room for a minute.”_

_“No, we don’t-” Henry disappeared in a swirl of purple smoke._

_Emma smirked at her wife. “Tell me you threw him in the ocean.”_

_“Not quite, dear,” Regina said. “He’s up on deck.” She pushed off the desk she’d been leaning against. “Now, do you want to tell me what this is all about?”_

_The blonde glowered at her. “I don’t like it.”_

_“Don’t like what?” Regina asked. “A boy falling out of the sky and claiming you are some long lost savior who is the last hope for his dying mother and the inhabitants of an entire cursed kingdom. A kingdom that just happens to house your long-lost parents whom you’ve always believed abandoned you?”_

_Emma leaned back, her forehead creasing as though she’s just gotten punched. “Well. Yeah, that…that just about covers my concerns.”_

_“Not to mention the fact that his dying mother is apparently me,” Regina added._

_“She’s not you,” Emma growled._

_“A version of me,” Regina said, correcting herself for Emma’s benefit. “A version of me that I know you aren’t going to just let die.” She tightened her hands around Emma’s before she could pull away. “Why are you fighting this?”_

_“Why do you believe him?”_

_Regina knew it was a deflection but she answered, “I…feel a connection to him. He may not be my son, but I see myself in him. He’s familiar in so many ways, and he acts like me.”_

_“Yeah, he does,” Emma muttered. “He’s definitely got your sass and stubborn streak.”_

_“I would’ve said my intelligence and determination.”_

_Emma grunted._

_“Now, are you going to tell me the real problem?”_

_Emma sighed. “Fine, I’ll go,” then she added, “but you should stay here.”_

_Regina blinked at the sudden reversal. “What?”_

_The blonde shrugged and pulled her hands away. “No reason for you to go. I mean, do you really want to see a version of you that’s sick and dying?”_

_“I think history shows that you have a more difficult time seeing me like that than I do.” The brunette frowned as Emma turned her back on her. “What is going on?”_

_“What? Nothing.” Emma didn’t look at her as she rummaged around for a glass and a bottle of wine._

_“Then look at me when you lie,” Regina snapped, no longer amused._

_Emma looked up. Green eyes caught dark brown and the blonde swallowed back the flippant remark she’d been about to make. It was a rare occasion that she’d managed to make her wife as furious as she seemed now. A thousand ways to avoid Regina flitted through her mind before she dropped heavily onto the chair at the table. She sighed and admitted, “I’ve been to Henry’s realm before.”_

_“Explain.” The word was crisp and cold leaving no room for obfuscation. Regina was done and would settle for nothing less than straight answers._

_Emma gestured for Regina to take the other seat at the table and she poured her queen a glass of wine. For herself, she magicked up a smaller glass and a bottle of whiskey from the hold. “Remember when I told you I’d met a lot of different versions of you, across time and universes?”_

_“Yes.” Regina wrapped her hand around her goblet._

_“Remember how I said I fell in love with all of them?” Regina arched an eyebrow. Emma cleared her throat. “I’m pretty sure, Henry’s Regina is one of those queens I met before I met you.”_

_Regina inhaled deeply, eyes locked on Emma. “And?”_

_“And I…loved her,” Emma admitted, bracing herself as she waited for a reaction._

_Her pirate queen didn’t immediately react. Instead, she lifted the wine glass to her lips and drank deeply from it. When she set down the empty glass, her tongue darted out to catch an errant drop of the dark red wine on her lips before she asked, “Physically?”_

_The Dark One felt the lightest trace of fear racing up her spine. “Uh-huh.”_

_“I see.” With a flick of her hand, Regina magicked her own tumbler onto the table and gestured for Emma to pour her a whiskey. “Did you see her before the curse or after?”_

_“Uhm, both,” Emma said. “I first met her years before she cast the curse, and then I stumbled across her again in the town she’d created. I didn’t sleep with her the second time though.”_

_“Why not?”_

_“Do you really want to talk-”_

_“Yes.”_

_“Okay,” Emma said, flinching slightly. “Uhm, the second time I saw her, like I said, I kind of stumbled across her town accidentally. I could tell it used to be from a magical world. Then I saw her. She was the Mayor; she had a son, well she had Henry. I didn’t stick around; I don’t think she even saw me.”_

_“Why not?”_

_“By then, I’d already met you,” Emma tried a smile. It wasn’t returned but her wife’s gaze softened. “I think the second sighting happened during our first year, during the deal.”_

_Regina rolled the whiskey glass between her hands before tipping it up and knocking it back in one go. “When you slept with her, how many years was it before she cast the curse?”_

_Emma frowned; she barely even tried to do the calculation. “I have no idea.”_

_“Think, Emma!” Regina slammed the glass down against the table. She exhaled heavily. “I’m sorry,” she said. “This is all just coming as a bit of a shock, and I don’t think you’re quite grasping the entirety of the situation.”_

_“All right,” Emma drawled, leaning back in her chair._

_“Let me phrase this a different way,” Regina said, clipping her words. “Was Henry around when you slept with her?”_

_Emma frowned as she tried to remember. She’d introduced herself to the young queen. They’d spent the day and night together. There’d been no mention of a child. Emma had asked about a king but there wasn’t one. Regina ruled alone and admitted that at times it was a very lonely existence. She’d even expressed to Emma that if a partner wasn’t in her future, she wished she could, at least, have a child of her own._

_Emma shot to her feet as the memory sunk in. “You think I…you think he’s…oh shit!”_

_~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_

_“So, you’re really not mad?”_

_Regina smirked. “You slept with a version of me before you ever met me. How could I be mad about that?”_

_Emma trusted her wife; she was just a little bit wary of her wife’s feelings on this particular subject. “I’m pretty sure if you thought about it, you could find a way to be mad.”_

_“I’m not mad,” Regina assured her, taking her hand in her own. “I do reserve the right to be jealous though.”_

_Emma frowned as they both watched Henry, standing near the rails, looking out over the water. “You really think he’s mine?”_

_“I’m positive. He has your magic.” At Emma’s dubious look, she nodded. “I felt it immediately but doubted myself. Once you said you had been to his realm, it all made sense.” She hesitated a moment before saying, “I’m surprised you didn’t know.”_

_“I didn’t,” Emma swore. “If I had, I’d have never left her.”_

_“I know,” Regina said, and she did know. Considering what Emma had known about her beginning for so many years, Regina knew the blonde would have never left her child. And where would that have left her? She would have died by her own hand in the summer palace. She shuddered and Emma squeezed her hand as if she knew exactly what Regina was thinking. Regina squeezed back. “Have you told him yet?”_

_“No. Figured I should, you know, talk to her first.”_

_Regina had to admit she was impressed with the sensible action. Emma was usually more the barge in and figure out the consequences later. “Good idea.”_

_“I’ve learned a few things from you over the years.” She winked then sighed, “You know what else this means, don’t you?”_

_Regina did know. “You’ll meet your parents.”_

_The Dark One grunted. “Parents that look a helluva lot like people that kept me imprisoned and at their beck and call for almost three years. Do you have any idea how hard that’s going to be?” She shuddered. “I’ve seen the two of them have sex; I’ve seen people who look like my parents having sex.”_

_Regina looked at her aghast. “You saw them…”_

_“Yes, okay,” Emma said. “Snow thought it was an amusing punishment.”_

_Regina was revolted. “And to think I saved that child’s life.”_

_“As if meeting my parents wasn’t going to be awkward enough.”_

_“How do you think I feel?” Regina said, amusement starting to bubble in her belly. “I’ll be meeting the in-laws for the first time and having to tell them that in recent years I killed one of them.”_

_“This could go down in history as the worst family reunion ever,” Emma said, smirking._

_“Maybe we should find August and bring him with us.”_

_They both started laughing, drawing Henry’s attention. He frowned at them and gestured impatiently towards the sea._

_“He is way too serious,” Emma said, waving him off for another moment. “He gets that from your side.”_

_Regina gave her a warm smile. “He’s just worried about his mother.”_

_“That’s one thing I can understand,” Emma said, she offered Regina her hand. “What do you say? Are you ready to go meet the Madam Mayor version of yourself?”_

_Regina clasped the offered hand. “You ready to start another adventure?”_

_“Do I have a choice?”_

_“Not really, no,” Regina laughed._

_“Then let’s go.”_

_In a swirl of grey smoke, the Queen and her Pirate, as well as a sixteen-year-old boy from another realm, disappeared from the deck of the ship._


	2. Madam Mayor Regina Mills

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's where the new story starts! Hope you enjoy!

As soon as they arrived in the Land without Magic, Henry vomited. Regina immediately looked away, grabbing hold of Emma’s forearm and taking several deep breaths herself. It wasn’t the first time she’d realm jumped with Emma, but the Dark One’s powers did tend to be nauseating.

“Oh, my God.” Henry leaned against the brick wall of the Rabbit Hole to keep himself upright. “Would a little warning have killed you?”

Emma couldn’t help it; it amused her every time. She checked Regina over. “You’re looking a little less green this time.”

Regina glared at her but didn’t relinquish her hold; her legs weren’t quite steady yet. “Is this…?” She looked around and realized absolutely nothing looked familiar. “Where are we?”

“Storybrooke.” Henry wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and grimaced. Luckily, there didn’t seem to be anyone in their vicinity, for the moment. His phone was in his pocket, and it if hadn’t been waterlogged he felt sure it would be vibrating with notifications that he’d missed while in another realm. With an unsteady breath, he pushed himself off the wall. “I need to go let my mom know about…you.” He looked at them. “Erm, you two might want to change clothes.”

Regina looked down to see what was wrong with her outfit. Before she could question it, Emma’s grey magic swirled around her, changing her comfortable sailing clothes into an outfit more akin to her royalty days. Black leather heeled boots wrapped around her calves, a black leather skirt stopped just above her knees, and a button up blouse of the darkest blue she’d ever seen was tucked tightly into it. The blouse was the smoothest material she’d ever touched and she loved the way it felt moving across her skin.

Running her hand down the sleeve, she turned to ask Emma about the selection but the question died on her lips. Her wife was wearing dark pants that appeared to be painted on her body, knee high black boots, a black top that was tight but flared slightly loose at the waist, and… “A red leather jacket?”

“What?” Emma asked, tugging her hair out from beneath the jacket in question. She shrugged her shoulders a bit, settling the garment. “I like it.”

Regina arched an eyebrow. She couldn’t disagree with how great Emma looked in the rest of the outfit, but the jacket would take some getting used to.

“And the shirt is silk, by the way,” Emma said, giving her wife a wink. “I thought you’d appreciate it.”

The brunette resisted touching the material again. “Is this how people here dress?”

Emma glanced at Henry. He shrugged. “More or less.”

The blonde looked to Regina. “We are definitely on the more side. Trust me.”

Regina was satisfied with that answer and began looking around at their surroundings. Everything here was so different. She was ready to start exploring. Her eyes fixed on a dark brown carriage, and she wandered closer to hit. She guessed it was a carriage since it was on wheels. “Do they not use horses here?”

“Only for recreation,” Henry said, seeming to realize that this Regina was truly not from this world. “Are you guys going to be all right while I go get my mom?”

“We’ll be fine.” Emma waved him off, watching Regina with great amusement as she circled the car, studying it. She was reminded of when the brunette had thrown herself into learning all the aspects of sailing. “I’ve been to plenty of lands like this one. Spent a lot of time in a city called Boston once.”

“Boston,” Henry repeated. “Rightttt. Okay, I’m going to go get mom. Can you just, y’know, wait here.”

“Yeah, sure,” Emma said easily. Regina had started circling a second car parked next to the brown one she had been studying. It was black and sleek, not as boxy as the first one.

Henry watched as Emma walked over to join Regina and began explaining what she knew about cars to the brunette. He had a feeling he shouldn’t just leave them alone but this wasn’t exactly something he could tell his mom over the phone, nor did he want her to encounter them without warning. He would just have to hurry. He turned towards city hall and began to jog. “I’ll be right back.”

Regina continued to stare at the car in front of her. “Finally, I thought he’d never leave.”

Emma waited a beat, made sure Henry was far enough away, then cracked up laughing. “You are horrible!”

Regina beamed at her. “He made it way too easy.” She linked her arm through Emma’s and began pulling her up the street. “Come on. There’s got to be somewhere around here where I can get a cheeseburger. I’ve been dying for one. It’s been, what, two years since you took me to New York?”

“At least,” Emma said. “And pizza. We’ve got to find some pizza while we’re here, too.”

Regina nodded in agreement. “Magic just never seems to get it right.”

“I think it’s our realm,” Emma lamented then spotted a sign. “Look, a diner.”

As they crossed the street, a black and white dog started pulling on his master’s leash and barking at them. Emma was used to it; animals tended to not like her cause of the dark energy vibe, but she nodded politely at the man.

“Afternoon, Madam Mayor,” he greeted, grunting slightly as the dog whined trying to reach them. “Pongo, easy, boy.”

“Good afternoon,” Regina said pleasantly. She looked sidelong at Emma, the pleasant smile turning into a full-blown smirk as they continued on towards the diner. “I _look_ like her.”

Emma tried to school her features as they passed through the opening of the white picket fence into the outdoor seating area of the diner. She was only mildly successful. “And they have no idea who I am.”

“This could be fun.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The diner was sparsely populated. A tall, lithe brunette behind the bar looked up from the register. “Oh, hey, Madam Mayor!” Her gaze swept over Emma. “And friend.” Her eyes narrowed slightly for a brief second before she gestured to the dining area. “Have a seat; I’ll be right over to take your order.”

Regina smiled at her and nodded as they walked towards a booth near the back. “Is that-?”

“This realm’s version of Ruby? Yep,” Emma said quietly, sliding into the seat. “She’s a werewolf here, too. She probably already picked up that something is different about you but can’t pinpoint what exactly.”

Regina scanned the other occupants of the diner. A couple sat together at a table near the front window and a lone guy sat, reading the paper at the counter. “He looks familiar.”

“Most people here probably will,” Emma said, sitting back as Ruby approached their table, carrying a coffee.

She set it down in front of Regina. “Figured you’d want your usual,” she said, then smiled apologetically at Emma as she handed her a menu. “Sorry, didn’t know what you’d want. Never seen you around before. Are you new in town?”

“Visiting,” Emma said with a small smile.

“Cool. My name’s Ruby.”

“Emma.”

“Nice to meet you. And hey, you know the Mayor?” She turned her attention back to Regina. “Loving the new hairstyle, by the way.”

“Thank you.” Regina resisted the urge to reach up and touch her shoulder length locks. “And yes, Emma is an old friend.”

“A portal jumper, huh?” Ruby smiled, winked at Emma. “Thought I smelled magic on you. Well, welcome to Storybrooke. I can make some recommendations from the menu if you like. We’ve got the best,” she glanced at Regina, “sorry Madam Mayor, _second_ -best lasagna in town.”

“How’s your pizza?” Emma asked, completely non-plussed at the whirlwind that was Ruby in all realms apparently.

Ruby frowned. “Not so good, actually.” At the disappointed sigh, she added, “but we’ve got a great cheeseburger.”

Emma glanced at Regina and received her nod of approval. “That’s what we want then. Two cheeseburgers with fries and two beers.”

Ruby blinked. She accepted the menus as they handed them back but glanced at Regina. “No salad?”

Regina smiled pleasantly. “Not today.”

The waitress appeared stunned. “Uhm, okay. I’ll, uh, get these orders right up.” She walked away from the table, muttering about cancelling the salad order.

Emma smirked after her then stood up. “I’m going to freshen up a bit.”

“You just want to use the indoor plumbing,” Regina said, knowing her wife.

“No, I don’t,” she protested then muttered, “It’s not like they have a shower in the restroom.”

“More’s the pity,” Regina said, “but I’m sure we can find one later tonight.”

Emma got a goofy look on her face as she remembered another aspect of their New York trip they’d enjoyed. Then she frowned, “I doubt they have a hot tub here.” She shrugged. “I’ll be right back.”

Regina scanned the diner’s occupants again, trying to place the people she knew against the people she was seeing. When the guy at the bar caught her staring, she smiled and then returned her attention to her table. She pulled the little dish with multicolored packets over to look at. They all seemed to be sweetener of some sort and she wondered why anyone would need pink, blue, and yellow sugar.

“You could’ve told me you were going to be here,” a loud female voice said. “I would’ve joined you.”

The speaker, a woman with long red hair and striking blue eyes, slid into the booth across from Regina. Regina pushed the sugar packets away and eyed the woman who clearly thought she knew her. Unlike some of the others, Regina had never seen this woman before in her life. “Erm, sorry. Last minute decision.”

The woman rolled her eyes and then waved her fingers towards Regina’s shoulders. “When did you do that?”

Regina reached up and touched the ends of her hair, thankful Ruby had mentioned it. “Oh, I just felt like a change.”

“If you wanted a change, you could’ve asked me,” she said, beginning to pull off her gloves. “You shouldn’t be using your magic for that sort of thing. I would’ve done it for you.”

Henry had mentioned that this realm’s Regina was running low on the magics. “You’re right,” she agreed. “I just-”

“I’m right?” the woman looked stunned. “You’ve never agreed with me that fast about anything in your life. Are you feeling all right?”

“Of course,” Regina tried, “just tired.”

The blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Regina, is there something you’re not telling me?”

Regina cleared her throat and was saved from answering by Ruby arriving at the side of their table laden with two plates of food. “Oh, hey Z,” she said, sliding a cheeseburger and fries in front of Regina, “I didn’t see you come in.” She glanced at the second plate intended for the blonde that was nowhere in sight then shrugged and set it on the end of the table. “Can I get you anything else?”

“No, that will be all, thank you,” Regina said, not taking her eyes off of the woman seated across from her. The energy between them had subtly changed and Regina could feel the other woman’s magic building. 

The redhead that Ruby had called Z glanced down at the two plates. “You’re here with someone?”

Now would be a really good time for Emma to reappear, Regina thought. “Yes. Is that a problem?”

“And you’re eating a cheeseburger with a beer? In the middle of the week, in the middle of the day?”

Regina glanced forlornly at the food in front of her. She had a sneaking suspicion she wasn’t going to actually get a chance to eat any of it. She sighed, placed her napkin on the table and was about to confess when the redhead beat her to it.

“You’re not my sister,” she growled.

“Your _sister_?!”

The woman pushed to her feet, towering over the table as green flame sprung to life in her hand. “Who are you? What have you done with Regina?”

It had been a long time since anyone had talked down to Regina and she wasn’t about to let this woman get away with it. She snatched the fire out of the witch’s hand and got to her feet. “I _am_ Regina, Captain of _The Darkness_ , Evil Queen of the Enchanted Seas.” She brought bright orange flame to life in her palm. “Who the hell are you?”

“Zelena,” the witch sneered, “Wicked Witch of the West.” Green flame burned bright again. “Now where’s my sister?”

As flames burst into life, the few patrons the diner had rushed for the door. If it hadn’t been for her wolf reflexes, Ruby would’ve dropped the tray she carried out from the kitchen at the sight of the two women squaring off at each other. “Hey! Whoa! What the hell, ladies?”

And, of course, Emma finally chose that moment to reappear as well. “Hey, Regina, you’ve got to check…oh, hey, what’s going on?” She sidled up behind her wife then frowned at the other witch. “Zelena, is that you?”

The blue eyes tracked quickly to the blonde, then widened. “Emma?!”

“You’re looking a lot less green,” Emma said then snagged a fry from their table. She moaned in delight and gave Ruby a thumbs-up.

“You know this woman?” Regina asked incredulous.

Emma shrunk back a step, realizing her error. “Uhm…we’ve met.”

“Met?!” Zelena snapped, her flame flared higher as she turned towards Emma. “We did more than just-”

The door to the diner swung open, rattling the blinds and drawing everyone’s attention as Henry burst inside, his eyes widening. “Oh shit.”

“Henry, I don’t care how old you are, you will not speak that way in front of…” Another Regina walked in behind him, appearing slightly out of breath, her voice trailing off as she took in the flaming scene in front of her. She quickly scanned the occupants of the diner. Ruby, who looked as wide eyed as her son; a brunette woman that looked remarkably like her with hair longer than she’d worn it in years; Zelena, who was upset about something if the green tint in her cheeks was any indication, and a blonde woman she’d only ever met once but could never forget. “Oh shit.”


	3. Just the One Night

A beat of silence was followed by Emma clearing her throat as she stepped around to the side of her wife. She offered the Mayor a soft smile. “Hi, Regina.”

“Wha-?” the Mayor faltered, her hand landing on Henry’s shoulder for support.

When neither woman seemed to know what else to say, Regina sighed and extinguished the flame she’d been holding, keeping an eye on the witch. She arched an eyebrow when Zelena didn’t immediately do the same.

“Fine.” Zelena rolled her eyes as she closed her fist, snuffing out the green flame.

Regina retook her seat in the booth. “Henry, why don’t you join me and your…aunt?” She picked up one of her fries. They were still warm. “Let’s give Emma and the Mayor a minute to talk alone.”

The boy had thought his mom would’ve been most interested to talk to the other Regina, but the grip she had on his shoulder ever since she spotted the blonde told him otherwise. “Mom?” he asked, not about to leave her if she didn’t want him to.

She finally blinked and tore her gaze away from Emma, shaking her head a bit. She managed a small smile for him as she ran her hand down his arm, giving his hand a squeeze. She nodded. “I’ll be fine.”

He studied her face. She was paler than usual and he didn’t know if it was because of the surprise or because she was having a bad day. “You sure?”

She gave him a pointed look and he grinned, shrugged and stepped away from her side. He bumped Emma’s shoulder with his own as he walked past her. “Don’t hurt her.”

Emma frowned at him. “I won’t.”

“And I’m eating your burger.”

“Hey!” Emma spun towards the booth where Zelena was reluctantly sliding over to make room for the teenager. She saw her Regina take a bite of her own burger and sigh happily, utterly ignoring the slight sneer from the redhead sitting across from her.

“Emma?”

She spun on her heel and faced the woman that had been queen. She smiled, gave a little bow. “Your Majesty.”

The eyebrow arched upwards. “I believe I told you that titles weren’t necessary.”

“Old habits.” Emma offered the former queen her elbow. “Would you care to take a walk with me?”

The Mayor hesitated, glancing towards the door. “Why don’t we just sit outside for a bit?”

As the Dark One, Emma didn’t always have to try and read people, sometimes it just happened. With that small hesitation, she knew Henry hadn’t been exaggerating. This Regina was weakened; she was dying. And she was scared. Scared of what that meant for her, for the town, for her son. Emma wasn’t going to let that happen, so she nodded, stepped past the Mayor, and gallantly held open the door, offering her hand in assistance down the stairs which the Mayor ignored, huffing something about not being an invalid.

Regina watched them head outside the diner. She felt a twinge of an emotional something that she refused to acknowledge as jealousy and focused instead on the cheeseburger she had in front of her. Henry had already wolfed down half of Emma’s, and Ruby had brought a coke over for him. The wolf then made herself comfortable by pulling up a chair at the end of the table.

Regina looked at her. “Was there something you needed?”

“Duh,” Ruby said, “you chased off all my other customers, so spill.” She leaned forward. “Who are you? Who is Emma? What is going on?”

The questions made Henry pause in his eating and Zelena was watching her expectantly. Regina dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. “All right,” she drawled, “I’ll answer your questions, _if_ ,” she looked at the witch, “ _you_ answer mine.”

Ruby knew better than to answer for Z. Both she and Henry stared at the redhead imploringly. She glared back at Henry. “You already know who she is. Why are you so interested?”

“I went there to find Emma. I have no idea what her story is,” he said, pointing at Regina then apologizing when she frowned at him for pointing.

Zelena grimaced. He was right. They’d been so focused on finding the so-called Savior they hadn’t bothered worrying about anyone else. She looked across the table at the brunette. “Fine,” she huffed, “but Henry gets to ask the questions.”

“Hey!” Ruby said indignant. When three separate and very distinct versions of the famous Mills Glare landed on her, she relented quickly. “Okay, all right. That sounds fair to me.”

Regina took a swig of her beer, enjoying the slight furrowing of Henry’s brows at the sight, and leaned back. “I’ll let you go first.”

Henry wiped his hands on a napkin, glanced at Zelena, then asked, “How did you become a pirate?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Mayor made her way over to the farthest table in the back corner of the outdoor seating. It didn’t offer much for privacy but wouldn’t be right by the walkway and the door. The plastic chair stuttered across the hard surface as she dragged it out from under the table. She lowered herself onto it unable to completely repress a grimace.

Emma watched her worriedly. She was well aware of how high this woman’s pain thresholds were and how well she could hide it. The fact that she couldn’t hide it spoke volumes. “How long?”

Regina looked up, a comment on the tip of her tongue that she bit back at the blonde’s obvious concern. She huffed a bit and sat back. “I have no idea, really. At the rate I’m weakening, I’d guess a month, maybe two.”

“I’m not going to let that happen. You’re going to be fine.”

Calm brown eyes studied her for a moment before she dipped her chin. “Okay, good.”

Emma frowned. “That’s it? You’re just going to believe me?”

“Is there a reason I shouldn’t?”

“No.” The half grin she gave Emma wasn’t an expression the blonde knew from her own wife, and she could read her Regina like a book. It was disconcerting and reassuring at the same time. The woman in front of her was not the same person as her pirate captain. She pulled out the chair opposite and sat down, folding her arms on the top of the table. “How am I supposed to fix this?”

“I imagine true love’s kiss will work,” Regina said, pulling her coat tighter over her chest. She hated how she was always cold lately. “Snow and Charming have tried of course but they aren’t the Savior.” She paused, noticing how the blonde had pulled back at the mention of the charming couple. “What is it?”

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it,” Emma said. “I see a problem though with this whole kiss thing.”

“Oh?” she chose for the moment to let go of whatever had bothered the blonde.

“I don’t love you,” Emma said not unkindly.

The Mayor dropped her hand onto the blonde’s forearm. “I don’t love you either.” She smiled. “Thankfully, the Savior’s true love kiss doesn’t have to be with me in order to break the curse.”

“It doesn’t?”

Regina shook her head. “So, my question to you is,” she glanced towards the diner and the occupants inside it, “do you have someone you _can_ kiss to break the curse?”

The Dark One did not blush. Her adrenalin may have spiked and sped up her heart at the thought of sharing true love’s kiss with her wife, but Emma did not blush. “Maybe.”

The Mayor grinned and sat back. “Good. It doesn’t have to be right this second, but I’d appreciate it if you could accommodate the curse sooner rather than later. Zelena and Henry’s mothering over me is infuriating.”

Emma grinned, plans already forming for when and how she’d kiss her wife next. “I think we can help you out.” Regina nodded and started to stand when Emma reached over and caught her hand. “I don’t think we’re done talking just yet.”

“Oh?”

“I know about Henry.”

Understanding settled into the Mayor’s expression. “Oh. That.” Moving stiffly, she settled back onto the chair. “What do you know?” When Emma gave her an exasperated look, she gestured with her hand. “Humor me. It’ll be easier to fill in the blanks if I know what you know.”

Emma instinctively balked at divulging knowledge before she knew what she was getting in return. Her dark side wanted a deal in place, but then she considered that this Regina had clearly raised Emma’s son all on her own. If anything, Emma owed _her_. “I know he’s my son. Regina, _my_ Regina, recognized my magic in him.”

The Mayor seemed pleased that another version of her had read their son so well. “What else?”

“I don’t know.” Emma shrugged. “I mean, clearly, I know when he was conceived since there was only just the one night.”

“Just the one,” Regina said quietly.

“Regina,” Emma waited for her to look up, “I didn’t know. I swear; I never would’ve left if I’d known.”

The Mayor placed a comforting hand over Emma’s forearm. “I guessed as much. It’s okay.” She grew quiet for a moment then asked almost nervously, “Did you tell him?”

“No.” Emma felt the woman across from her relax. She wasn’t sure what to make of how tense the question had made Regina. “Is it a problem that I…erm _we_ made him? Do you not want him to know about me?”

“What?” Brown eyes snapped up only just realizing how it must have sounded. “No! Gods, no, that’s not…” She paused, gave Emma’s arm another pat. “No, Emma, I am perfectly fine with him knowing I was with a woman, and that he’s the product of magical desire.” She hesitated again, glancing towards the diner. “It’s just…I never thought I’d see you again.” She saw the blonde’s brows furrow. “I…I’ve always refused to discuss it with him.”

Emma sat back. “Why?” 

Regina picked absently at a stain on the table. “Well, to be perfectly honest…I felt a bit…foolish, I suppose.”

“What? Why?”

“Emma,” Regina sighed. “We spent the day together; we spent the _night_ together, but then when I woke up in the morning you were gone.” She held up a hand to stop the blonde’s interruption. “I know, you told me, you were completely upfront with me, and I understood that. But…”

When she trailed off, Emma leaned forwards, “But?”

“Oh, Emma, it was one thing for me to know it up here,” she tapped her temple, “but to wake up to cold sheets after the time we’d spent together…it was jarring.”

“You resented me.”

“No,” Regina said quickly then smirked a bit, “well, yes, maybe for an hour or two.” She peeked up at Emma, gauging whether or not she’d reclaimed the lightness of the moment. “But then I got on with my life and appreciated the time we’d had together for what it had been. It wasn’t until two months later, I found out that you had blessed my life with such a gift.”

“Ugh, don’t use the word blessed,” Emma recoiled. “Makes me sound like I’m one of those bastard gods that goes around intentionally knocking people up.”

The former queen laughed lightly. “Very well,” she conceded, “you gave me a gift. One that I had unintentionally asked for and had never expected to receive.”

Emma shifted in her seat. “Well, it was unintentionally given, too if we’re being honest, but it seems like it worked out.”

“It did. Henry is the best thing that has ever happened to me.” She clasped Emma’s hand again. “So, thank you.”

Uncomfortable with the praise, Emma nodded. “Are you going to tell him?”

“Oh, yes,” Regina leaned back looking rather rueful about the subject. “I made a deal with him that _if_ his, let’s say sperm donor, ever came back into my life, I would not keep it from him. It was the only way I could convince him to drop the subject.” She sighed. “He’s rather tenacious. It’s how he found you I’m sure.”

Emma considered making a comment about how stubbornness must run in the family, but instead she simply said, “I’m glad he did.”

“Me too,” she said, then shivered as a grimace tracked swiftly across her face before disappearing again.

Emma frowned. The darkness wasn’t great at healing but she could feed the woman power. Their hands were still clasped together, but if the former queen was anything like her Regina, Emma knew she better ask first. “I can, uhm, top up your magic, if you’d like. It won’t cure anything, but it should give you some energy.”

The Mayor almost denied needing help, but then remembered who she was talking to. She really was tired of being tired, but, “Is that a good idea? Feeding me dark magic?”

Mischief danced in the blonde’s eyes. “A little darkness never hurt anybody,” she promised. “It’ll just make you feisty for a little while.”

Regina couldn’t deny she liked the sound of that. “When do you think you’ll break the curse?”

“Soon, I promise,” Emma assured her, “but I would like the chance to wine and dine her a little before our first curse breaking kiss together.”

Regina nodded in approval. “I think she’d like that. And yes, I will also accept your offer of magic.” She glanced towards the diner. “A little extra energy wouldn’t hurt considering the conversation I’m about to have with our son.”

Emma’s magic surged when she said _our son_.


	4. TLK, a Party, and a Terrible Idea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who haven't read The Queen's Pirate, Snow was evil and she controlled Emma's dagger for almost three years keeping her as a slave/prisoner. Regina saved Emma and killed Evil Snow. You can see how a family reunion might be uncomfortable.

The Dark One and the Queen strolled lazily, hand in hand, along the deserted beach. It was late and a cool breeze rolled off the water. With the Mayor’s help, the Dark One had managed to arrange a very special date on short notice for her queen. She’d gotten a room at Granny’s while Mayor Regina had taken the pirate queen home with her.

Emma was quite proud of herself. She’d managed to surprise her queen by arriving in a figure-hugging black dress paired with a black blazer. Of course, Regina had still managed to take her breath away. The plunging neckline and sheer sleeves of her perfectly tailored black suit had made Emma’s throat close up. Possibly the only reason they’d made it past the house and out to their actual date was the presence of Henry, Zelena, and the Mayor. All three of whom had filtered into the foyer to watch the two pirates leave on their date.

“I will say one thing for this realm,” Regina said breezily, leaning into Emma’s side as they walked, “they know how to do food.”

“Mmm-hmmm,” Emma agreed easily. They’d dined at a particularly good seafood restaurant overlooking the water. It hadn’t been quite as upscale as Emma had wanted, but it was the best Storybrooke had to offer and the food had been good. “Do you think I could convince anyone in our realm to make crab and lobster stuffed ravioli?”

“First you’d have to explain ravioli,” Regina muttered. She had zero complaints about her braised lamb shank and lobster tail. It hadn’t been a traditional pairing but she and Emma had both wanted to try several items on the menu. “I’m sure a talented chef could make chimera taste like calamari.”

Emma shuddered at the thought then felt a shudder of a different kind at her queen’s sultry chuckle. “It’s been a long time since we danced together like that.”

“Too long,” Regina agreed. The Mayor had actually gotten the restaurant cleared for the night for them. They’d had singular service, candle light, wine, and then after dinner, Emma had magically borrowed the jukebox from the diner for an hour or so of dancing.

Regina swung around in front of Emma, planting her feet in the damp sand and draping her arms over the blonde’s shoulders. Emma’s hands immediately found her hips and they began to sway together again. The tips of their noses brushed against each other, making the Dark One grin as she glanced down. Regina had ditched her heels as soon as they’d hit the beach and Emma had changed from a dress to black slacks.

“Now that you’ve wined and dined me, Captain. What’s your next move?”

Their breath mingled as their foreheads touched. “Oh, I thought we might do a little bit of curse breaking.”

Regina’s mouth curved into a smile. “Nothing like a little lifesaving to finish off the night.”

Emma pulled back just enough that she could look into her wife’s eyes. “I love you, Regina. In every life, in every iteration, you are my queen. My one. My only. My life.”

“And you are mine. My Dark Swan. My salvation. My heart. I love you and only you, Emma.”

They leaned in and when their lips had barely touched, a magical shockwave blew their hair back and raced outward across the water and towards the town. Regina threw her head back and laughed at the sensation; it felt like a warm ocean breeze. Emma coughed and began making gagging noises.

“Emma?” Regina asked, suddenly concerned. “Are you all right?”

“Dark One.” She pointed at herself. “Lightest of light magic. Gross.” She spat. “Oh yuck, that tastes horrible.”

“The magic tastes horrible?” Regina clarified, barely restraining her laughter as she watched her wife act like a cat that had just climbed out of the bathtub.

“And it itches.” Emma shook out her arms and danced on the spot. She shuddered then caught Regina laughing behind her hand. “Yeah, let’s not do that again.” She strode forward and swooped her wife up into her arms. “So, Ruby told me about a cabin in the woods that we could use.”

“Oh, yeah?” Regina wrapped her arms around Emma’s neck. “Do tell.”

“I’ll do better than that. I’ll show you.” She took two steps towards the shore and they disappeared in a poof of grey smoke.

Across town, Mayor Regina Mills shot upright in her bed. She sucked in a breath like she’d been underwater for too long. Magic cascaded into her as the curse broke and her power returned to its rightful place. She clutched a hand to her chest as warmth long missing spread through her core and along her limbs.

“Mom!” “Regina!”

She heard their voices calling for her before they made it to her door. She flung the blankets off her legs as her bedroom door burst open. Zelena and Henry crowded into the room.

“What was that?” “Are you okay?”

Fire burst into existence in the palm of Regina’s hand; she grinned, “I’m back.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was past three in the afternoon the following day before the two pirates made an appearance in town. Ruby wolf whistled at them as they entered the diner. “Well, hey there! We were wondering if you two skipped town without saying good-bye.”

“Obtaining sustenance finally became enough of a reason to leave the bed,” Regina said, sliding onto a stool at the bar. She stared around at the paper mache decorations hanging up over the bar.

“Thanks for recommending that cabin, by the way,” Emma said, draping an arm over her wife’s shoulders. “We enjoyed the…” she glanced at Regina, “privacy.”

“We also enjoyed the hot tub.”

Ruby’s eyebrows shot up her forehead, then she frowned. “Wait. That cabin has a hot tub?”

Emma grinned. “It does now.”

Ruby smiled from ear to ear. “Awesome.”

“Yes, it was.” Regina smirked at the blonde then turned back to Ruby. “Do you think the owners would mind if we stay there another few days?”

“Definitely not a problem. Especially if you leave the hot tub in place when you leave.” She leaned forward on her elbows. “A few days, huh? You guys sticking around, then?”

The two pirates exchanged a look between them. “Just for a little while,” Emma hedged.

“Okay, then. Well, in light of that true love magic I felt last night, order whatever you want. It’s on the house.” She slid two menus across to them. “Oh! And you should definitely stick around. We’re having a celebration party, you know, for the curse breaking and all!” She shrugged happily. “Any excuse to party at Granny’s; it’s kind of a tradition.”

At least now Regina knew why the place was decorated. “And will _everyone_ be in attendance?”

Emma rolled her eyes and slid her menu back towards Ruby. “Cheeseburger with bacon, onion rings, and a beer.”

“Sure,” Ruby answered. “I mean, everyone has been really worried about Regina so most everyone will stop by.” She eyed Regina. “Why? Do you have another ex in town we need to warn?”

“I’ll have the lasagna.” The menu flick was enough to warn Ruby off from further teasing.

Emma held up a finger. “Don’t say it.”

Regina clasped her hands-on top of the bar and watched her wife from the corner of her eye. Patience was not a virtue the Dark One usually possessed.

In less than a minute, Emma growled. “What?”

“I didn’t say anything,” Regina said coolly.

“But you wanted to.”

“Of course, I wanted to,” she replied. “Don’t I always have something worthwhile to share?”

The blonde snorted and grinned. “More like you always have the last word.”

“Captain’s prerogative.”

Emma spluttered. “I’m a captain, too. And! And, I was a captain way before you.”

“Which is why you’ll choose to let me have the last word.”

“My parents will be at the celebration tonight.”

Regina was only slightly offended that Emma tried to beat her to the punch, but she also saw the green eyes watching her warily, waiting for her to drop the other shoe. She waited a beat then pointed out that which Emma had seemingly overlooked. “Snow and Charming will also undoubtedly bring your siblings with them as well.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It could’ve gone worse; someone could have died.

Snow and Charming with their two kids in tow bustled into the diner oblivious of anything other than the curse had been broken. So, when they spotted a healthy-looking Regina standing next to Henry, they immediately embraced her. And while Emma and her pirate wife had considered how strange it would be for Emma to meet her parents, they hadn’t given enough consideration to how the Pirate Queen would react when face-to-face with Snow White.

Emma would tease her endlessly later for it, but the truth was, Pirate Regina froze when Snow engulfed her in a hug and gushed about how proud she was that Regina had found the Savior. Then Charming wrapped his arms around both women and Regina may have squawked in alarm, a secret that Henry would take to his grave. All Emma felt was a flutter of panic and Regina’s magic reaching out to her. She disappeared in mid-sentence with Ruby to appear at her wife’s side and magically blast off the two people smothering her.

The two kids started crying, Emma shimmered with darkness, and Henry rushed to stand between the Charmings and the Dark One. “Whoa!” He held up his hands as the Charmings picked themselves up from the floor. “Whoa! There’s been a mistake!”

That was, of course, when Madame Mayor, likely called by that sense all mothers possess when their children are in danger, appeared in a swirl of smoke at Henry’s side. She took one look around. “Miss Swan, what is the meaning of this?”

“I think I hit my head harder than I thought,” Charming said, wrapping an arm around Snow’s shoulders as they happily remained behind the Mayor and Henry.

“If you’re hallucinating two Reginas,” Snow said warily, “so am I.”

“Oh, this _is_ fun,” Zelena said, taking a seat at the bar as she sipped a cup of tea.

Both Reginas glared at her. Then the Pirate, recovered from her momentary paralysis, gripped her wife’s hand. “Emma, dear, I’m okay.”

“Did she just call her Emma?” Snow asked.

“Look, Mama, her skin is all sparkly and pretty!”

There was a collective gasp and holding of breath as a precocious, tow-headed three-year-old girl grabbed hold of the Dark One’s free hand to admire the shimmery skin. Emma made a noise in the back of her throat at the unexpected contact. Regina bore down hard on the hand she held.

“Ava,” Zelena cleared her throat, rescuing everyone, “come have a biscuit with me.”

The little girl’s eyes grew big at the prospect of a cookie and she immediately forgot about shimmery people, dropped Emma’s hand, and ran towards her favorite auntie. A dark-haired boy, possibly a little older, slowly followed after his sister. He eyed the Pirate Regina with a scrutiny she wasn’t sure she deserved.

Madame Mayor adjusted her suit jacket. “Well,” she swept a lock of hair out of her face, “I see the four of you have met.”

“We didn’t actually make it to introductions,” Henry said. He shrugged when his mother glared at him. “You know how Snow gets.”

“I beg your pardon?” Snow shoved the teenage boy’s shoulder.

“Snow. Charming,” the Mayor interceded before Snow had a chance to get going. “I’d like for you to meet the two people who broke the curse.” She gestured at her counterpart. “This is Regina, the Evil Queen of the Enchanted Seas, and this is her wife, the Dark One…Emma Swan.”

“She’s the Dark One?” Charming repeated unnecessarily.

“Emma,” Snow breathed, “as in… _our_ Emma?”

Emma and Regina both bristled at the possessive. The brunette pirate wrapped her arm more obviously around Emma’s waist. She growled, “As in _my_ Emma.”

She could have been talking to a brick wall. Snow heard and saw nothing but the woman in front of her that bore the name of the daughter she had been tricked into giving up so long ago. She moved forward as if in a trance. The Dark One became a statue, frozen in horrified place, muscles rigid as Snow hugged her.

“Emma.” Snow sniffed and pulled back from her eventually, hands cupping the blonde’s face. “Don’t worry. We can help you.”

Regina made a noise in the back of her throat as Emma jerked back. “Help me?! Help me with what?”

“Getting rid of the darkness, of course,” Snow said, smiling through tears. “You’re my daughter-”

Emma flinched. “No.” Magic shoved Snow backwards, forcing Charming to catch her to keep her from falling again. “You don’t get to call me that.” She took a step towards Snow. “Not after the hell you put me through.”

The Mayor boldly stepped in front of the Dark One before she could move any closer. “That’s enough, Ms Swan,” she said. “This isn’t Snow’s fault; she was tricked into sending you away.”

Even as her blood boiled, Emma wouldn’t go against Regina, _any_ Regina. Instead, she growled, “Keep them away from me.”

She disappeared in a swirl of dark magic. The Mayor looked at her counterpart. “I thought we had mother issues.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” the Pirate growled before disappearing in her own swirl of magic.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After an hour or so, a request directly from the Mayor dragged Emma back to the party. A point in her favor was that she supplied pizza for the Dark One as a consolation. Emma’s irritation had been mollified as soon as she sunk her teeth into the cheesy goodness.

“She reminds me of you,” Regina said, her own slice of pizza disappearing as easily as Emma’s.

“Who?” Emma asked through a mouthful of cheese.

The Pirate Queen nodded towards the small blonde headed child currently climbing up Henry’s back.

“Mmph.” But Emma watched her sibling playing with her son. The relationships she suddenly had within the town were a bit much to handle. A son, a sister, a brother, and two parents that she was completely ignoring. Snow’s pining looks from across the diner were nauseating.

Upon their return to the diner, Snow had tried to approach Emma, but the Dark One poofed to the other end of the restaurant. When Snow had tried again, Regina had sent her to the town line; Madam Mayor brought her back a few minutes later and urged restraint from both sides. Charming was mostly content to watch from afar; the news that his daughter was the Dark One had been a bit concerning.

“That one likes to get into mischief,” Madam Mayor said, joining their table and pointing at little Ava. “I suppose in that way, she _is_ a lot like you Ms Swan.”

Emma didn’t comment but continued to watch Henry ferry her around. Regina asked, “What about the boy?”

“James?” the Mayor asked, finding the boy in question sitting at a table near the front door, his nose buried in a book. “He’s the spitting image of Snow, but so far, his temperament doesn’t seem to favor either of them.” A soft smile graced her face. “Charming swears he takes after me, actually.”

“I bet they love that,” Emma groused.

“They’re my family.” The Mayor eyed her curiously. “One day, Ms Swan, you’ll have to tell me why you hate them so much.”

Regina laid her hand over Emma’s forearm before she snapped out a reply. “Let’s just say we had a bad experience with a different version of them.”

“Yeah, Regina killed-”

“Eat your pizza, dear,” Regina cut over her. At the Mayor’s raised eyebrow, the Pirate shrugged. “I regret nothing.”

The Mayor cleared her throat. “Well, try to remember these aren’t the same as the people you’ve dealt with.” She got back to her feet. “I suppose I should mingle some more.”

Emma watched the Mayor walk away. She squeezed Henry’s arm as she walked past him, bopped Ava on the nose, and then went and sat across from James. The boy put down his book to talk to her. Emma’s gaze tracked around the room again. “That’s interesting.”

“What is?” Regina asked.

“Notice anything about the crowd?”

Regina looked around. She saw Ruby sling her arm around another brunette standing behind the bar. Belle was seated with Rumple at a table near the door, chatting amicably with Aurora and Philip. Snow and Charming stood at the end of the bar talking to Ariel and Eric. This realm’s version of Maleficent had shown up late and now stood incredibly close to Zelena as the witch teased Henry and his young girlfriend.

“When I met Regina the first time,” Emma said, “she told me she ruled alone and didn’t have anyone in her life.”

“She told you it was lonely at times and she wished she, at least, had a child,” Regina recalled Emma telling her the story.

“But children grow up and leave,” Emma pointed out. “She’ll be alone again.”

“While everyone around her has someone.”

Emma grinned. “I have an absolutely terrible idea.”


	5. Operation Find Emma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is where it all started. I had the idea for this chapter and then had to build a story around it. 
> 
> Big shoutout to StarsThatBurn for a reference in this chapter, more on that at the end.

Another ability of Emma’s Dark One powers was that as she moved across realms, she could easily find herself. It was an ability she’d never used before, never seen the point really, but for her latest idea it would come in handy.

Operation Find Emma. Or find a suitable Emma for the Mayor of Storybrooke.

Emma and Regina’s first stop landed them outside a warehouse that was practically pulsing with music. Regina took a few steps away from her, hand covering her mouth, and Emma took the opportunity to observe. It was clearly a party of some sort, and the people entering the building were on the younger side, but Emma could smell the money on them. She could sense the excess rolling off their clothes and the cars that were usually being driven by someone else. Their posturing, even as they simply walked inside, called to her darkness.

“Well?” Regina asked, reappearing at her side, seemingly recovered from the jump. “Are we in the right place?”

“I haven’t seen her yet, but it’s interesting,” Emma admitted. She waved her hand and their clothes and appearance changed. She offered her queen her arm. “Shall we?”

They entered the party, a simple flick of fingers allowing them past the bouncer at the door. The space inside was very open with bars on either side and a spiral staircase in the middle of the floor to an upstairs that appeared to have comfortable looking couches and tables. Music from a DJ pulsed through the space filled with people dancing and a waitress carrying a tray of cocktails squeezed past them. Regina winced at the loud volume. It felt like one of the clubs Emma had taken her to during their trip to New York. She hadn’t liked it then either.

“How will we find her in here?” Regina half shouted just so she could hear herself.

Emma laughed at her. “You don’t have to shout. I can hear you fine.” When Regina scowled at her, she reached up and played with the brunette’s ear lobes before her hands were batted away. “Better?”

Suddenly, Regina could hear everything at a conversational level. She was grateful but she still playfully slapped the blonde’s arm for making her suffer to begin with. She grabbed a cocktail off a passing tray and began actually looking around. She knew Emma would find her counterpart long before she’d spot her, some sort of similar energy connecting the two, which is why Regina was relaxing into the beat of the music, the pulse of the crowd, and she almost choked on her drink.

“Emma!” She tugged on the Dark One’s arm. “Look!”

Startled by the uncharacteristic, almost frantic tugging, Emma looked first at Regina and then up to the balcony area where her wife was staring. “Oh. Wow.” Regina slapped her arm again and she laughed. “You told me to look, woman.”

“I told you to look, not drool,” Regina snapped although she too hadn’t stopped staring. Despite having just met the Mayor version of herself, it was still weird to see one’s self, and it was definitely _her_ standing on the upper level, looking down at the crowd gathered below. “I didn’t think they had queens in this land.”

“They don’t,” Emma said, watching as the woman in question was clearly ruling over everyone in attendance whether they knew it or not. “But money rules all and by the looks of it, I’d say you- _she_ has the most.”

They watched as a dark woman dressed in a white suit stood briefly at the other Regina’s side, speaking to her before quickly using her phone and walking away. The pirate queen watched her counterpart, admired the way she seemed like a lioness searching for prey. “She’s looking for someone.”

Emma indicated the spiral stairwell and a slender blonde moving quickly up the steps. “I’m going to guess it’s her.”

The Dark One’s counterpart, a woman simply known as Emma in this world, walked straight to the lioness’ side. She seemed to be giving some sort of report to the brunette who barely took her eyes off the crowd below although she was obviously listening as she nodded twice and gave a definite no gesture with her hand once. The two pirates watched as the Emma above them made some sort of notation in her phone and began to walk away only to be pulled back by her elbow. The Regina-in-charge gently caressed the blonde’s face and gave her a reassuring smile.

“Well, I guess that rules out this realm,” Regina said at Emma’s elbow as they watched the two women upstairs separate. “They’re already together.”

The Dark One frowned. “Yeah, she won’t work for our purposes, but there’s something off about their relationship.”

“What?”

“I don’t know. There’s something about money between them.” Emma shrugged. It wasn’t her realm; it wasn’t her problem. “Shall we try the next spot?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Regina sat at the diner’s table with a slightly sticky vinyl covering on it. She felt a little shell shocked and knew as she looked at her wife sitting across from her, pinching the bridge of her nose, she was not alone. She cleared her throat. “Well, it’s been…interesting.”

So far, they’d traveled across twelve different realms. In eight of the realms, Emma and Regina knew each other. In six of those realms, the two were already well on their way to having a relationship. In four of the realms they were already in some version of Storybrooke. Oddly enough, Emma seemed drawn to law enforcement professions and Regina was usually in some sort of authority role. Although there had been one realm where they were both doctors. It had amused Regina to no end that Emma was usually in a subservient role to her counterpart.

Then, of course, there were the other four realms where they did not see Regina’s counterpart. In three of them, Emma was not doing well in life. She was in prison doing a ten-year sentence for grand theft auto in one; in another timeline they’d found her drugged out of her head in a flop house. Regina was sure the image of Emma passed out on a filthy mattress with a syringe hanging out of her arm was going to stay with her for a while.

Emma looked at her without even bothering to lift her head. “Interesting is one word for it. The one where I was a prostitute and you picked me up a la Pretty Woman style is currently my favorite.”

Regina rolled her eyes. “I’m more interested in your Atlanta version.”

The Dark One nodded as she remembered. “The one where I was a corrupt cop about to shoot a drug dealer for not paying me off?”

The brunette hummed. “I would’ve liked to have stuck around that version a while longer. She clearly had some darkness in her.” As a pirate, Regina couldn’t very well begrudge the badge-wearing blonde of shaking people down for money. “I’m curious if there’s a version of me to go with her.”

“She made me itch,” Emma grumbled and sat back. “Regardless, she was clearly not a good match for Madam Mayor.”

“I bet I’m your boss there,” Regina said, still stuck on the crooked cop version of events. She understood now, how and why Emma would often get lost in her thoughts when she was seeing visions of possible futures. “I bet I’ve had to discipline you on multiple occasions.”

The blonde gave her wife a flat stare. “Really? That’s what you’re fixating on?”

Regina shrugged, grinning. “So, where to next?”

Emma gestured at the diner they were currently sitting in. It didn’t look much different from Granny’s. “This is where my spidey senses brought us.”

The brunette looked around. The diner had a faded checker board floor, booths along the walls with cracking maroon covered seats, and the stale smell of coffee, cigarettes, and grease permeated the space. “This place does look rather miserable. Maybe if we find you here, you’ll be eager to leave with us.”

“I wouldn’t count on that,” Emma said, having caught sight of the waitress working behind the bar.

Regina turned, following her gaze, and gasped slightly at once again encountering herself. The waitress hadn’t yet noticed them and they both took the opportunity to stare. The Regina, or as her name tag stated ‘Gina’, behind the counter looked older than her years. She had her hair in a short bob cut tucked behind her ears and a weariness to her eyes that screamed fatigue. She grabbed a couple rolls of silverware and rounded the bar headed for their table.

“Sorry about the wait, ladies,” she said, depositing the silverware on their table. “What can I get started for you?”

Regina, the pirate, stared at her counterpart, taking in the two-pocket apron tied around her waist, the thick soled shoes, and the stance that was clearly an attempt to shift her weight to one side. She noticed the waitress didn’t have any sort of notepad to take down their order and could guess that the woman had been working this job for too many years.

Emma snapped out of her stupor first. “Uh, coffee, please.”

“Just coffee?”

“For now.”

“What about you, hon?”

Regina started slightly at being addressed. She was also sure she’d never uttered the word ‘hon’ in her life. “Same.”

“Cream and sugar?”

“Black,” Emma and Regina answered at the same time.

Gina pointed at the end of the table. “Menus are over there. Today’s special is lasagna and we have fresh made apple pie.”

Emma snorted; Regina kicked her under the table and mumbled their thanks as she reached for the menus. “Stop it.”

“What? It was funny!” Emma defended, grimacing as she touched the menu. “Why is everything in here sticky?”

“Since when do you care about cleanliness? We live on a ship.”

“Yeah, but it isn’t sticky.”

Regina glanced over the menu, already knowing she’d get a cheeseburger. Maybe onion rings just to shake things up. “So why did you bring us here? We’re supposed to be looking for suitable Emmas. I may be vain, but even I think bringing Madam Mayor back a version of herself would be pushing it.”

“I’m sure I’ll turn up, but with your presence here I can already guess that we won’t be taking this Emma with us.” 

Regina watched the woman-in-question refill a couple of mugs at the bar and work the register. “If I’m a waitress in the local diner, I shudder to think where you are in this scenario.” She looked towards the kitchen. “Maybe a fry cook or perhaps huddled outside in the alley?”

“Funny,” Emma said dryly. She leaned back as Gina returned, setting their coffees down on the table for them. The Dark One could feel the pain radiating from the woman’s back and hip. Her eyes narrowed as she sought out the reason. A vehicle accident in the past, too many medical bills, an addiction to pain pills, an eviction notice, and a dim future if nothing changed.

“And she’ll have a slice of the apple pie,” Regina said, ordering for both of them as soon as she realized Emma was distracted by a vision.

“I’ll get that right out for you,” Gina said and picked up a stack of dirty dishes as she passed a table on her way back to the kitchen.

Regina watched as she pocketed the dollar and some change tip that had been left. Then she sipped her coffee, watching for Emma to come back to the present, raising an eyebrow in question when the green eyes cleared. “Anything interesting?”

Emma shook her head and reached for her coffee. “She wasn’t always here; the past seven years have been difficult.”

Regina watched as the waitress made her rounds, pouring coffee refills at the other tables. She didn’t like it, but they weren’t really here to interfere. If they were, she sure as hell would’ve pulled that drug addicted Emma out of the slums and given her a good thrashing. She took another sip of the bitter coffee just as a new customer opened the door to the diner and walked inside.

At the sound of Regina coughing and practically dropping her mug, Emma looked up. “Are you all right?”

Regina grabbed a handful of napkins from the dispenser at the end of the table and covered her mouth. She shook her head as her watering eyes indicated Emma should look behind her. The Dark One twisted in her seat, as did every other customer in the diner, and watched as a woman that clearly did not belong in the greasy spoon diner walked across the floor.

Stiletto Louboutin heels clicked as the blonde in a perfectly tailored black suit approached the bar and set her simple but elegant black clutch on the red surface. She pulled a few napkins from the dispenser and began to dab at her neck. Gina brought her a tall glass of ice water without being asked then made a shooing motion to the rest of the diner to return to their own business. “Are you all right, ma’am?”

The Emma standing at the bar drank down about half the glass of ice water before giving the diner a long once over; green eyes scanned the occupants, lingering momentarily on the booth where Regina and Emma sat watching her. She seemed to study them for a moment, neither of them looking away like the rest of the diners had, before returning her attention to the brunette behind the counter. “Thank you,” she read the name tag, “Gina.” She took another sip of water. “Got anything stronger than water back there?”

“Only beer,” Gina said reluctantly, “but it’s cold.”

“I’ll take two,” Emma said then wiped off the barstool next to her with a napkin and sat down. “And as I’m sure you can surmise, I could desperately do with the number for your local auto mechanic.”

As Gina continued to smile at the striking blonde, Regina sat back in the booth, tearing her eyes away from the vision at the bar. “If I have to keep some of the outfits of Madam Mayor in my closet just so you can see them again,” she said, “I want you to get that outfit.”

The Dark One grinned, watching the two women get acquainted. “You know,” she turned her attention back to the Regina sitting across from her, “maybe we’re going about this the wrong way.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Well, Madam Mayor wasn’t always in this realm,” Emma explained. “She used to be a queen.”

The Pirate Queen nodded, following easily. “Maybe she needs a princess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in case you haven't read it or didn't recognize it, the warehouse party scene is supposed to be straight out of StarsThatBurn's awesome story "For Love or Money". The diner scene was also inspired by a fanfic titled "We Are What People Make Us" by Danny24 but with role reversal. Both stories are excellent reads and I highly recommend them. The Atlanta cop Emma is JMo in Superfly.


	6. Finding Princess Emma

Regina leaned back on her hands, legs stretched out in front of her, crossed at the ankle. She hadn’t thought it possible, but she was starting to get bored. They’d barely been in one of the Enchanted Forest realms for an hour before they’d run across their first Emma. Now, over an hour later, The Dark One and Emma, The White Knight were still fighting. The clash of swords as they worked their way back and forth across the field had held Regina’s attention at first, but the two were clearly well matched.

As the battling opponents neared her position again, Regina got to her feet. “This is getting tedious, dear.”

“I agree,” Emma half shouted over her shoulder at her wife before dodging a swipe that could have cleaved her in two, “but she won’t quit long enough for me to ask her anything.”

“And hear you tell lies?” the Knight blasted back, blocking a strike from Emma. “There’s no _good_ reason two people would be disguised as myself and the queen.”

Regina had to grant the knight that concession. She’d come upon them unexpectedly and before they’d put on any glamours. The White Knight, as she’d identified herself, had been out riding and clearly not expecting a fight. She wore no helm, her blonde hair flowing over her shoulders, and wearing only well-crafted leathers instead of armor. Upon seeing the two of them, she’d pulled up short and immediately drawn her sword. She was more muscular than the pirate version of Emma, but she carried the added muscle well as Regina tilted her head to admire the view.

“ _Really_ , my Queen?!”

“Hmmm?” Regina tore her gaze away from the knight’s backside to find her Emma staring at her in exasperation. She shrugged one shoulder unable to contain her smirk before laughing outright at the knight taking advantage of Emma’s inattention. The Dark One stumbled back in a hurry to dodge and fell to the ground.

“You call her queen!”

“All right, that’s enough.” Regina stopped the knight’s downward slash with a wave of her hand then flung the blonde knight backwards.

“You know, I had her until you distracted me,” Emma complained, accepting the helping hand Regina offered her.

“Of course, dear.”

“I should’ve known you wouldn’t keep the fight fair,” the Knight said, regaining her feet, sword at the ready. “Are you witches or tricks of the imp?”

“Hey,” Emma said, “we resemble those remarks.”

“Clearly, she isn’t suitable for our purposes,” Regina said, ignoring the knight. “Can we go?”

“You aren’t going anywhere,” the Knight’s sword was leveled in their direction, “except the dungeon.”

“I hate to think of you being this dull in any realm, my love,” Regina said before lazily igniting a fireball in her hand and tossing it at the knight.

The White Knight easily deflected the magic with a wave of her hand. She then sent a shockwave towards her adversaries which Regina blocked. Emma, the Dark One, grinned as the magic use gained her wife’s attention. She took a step back as Regina turned to engage the knight. “I’ll just wait over here.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Regina fought the smirk that tried to pull at her lips. The excited dark energy that was practically wafting off Emma was making it damn near impossible. “Would you, please, calm down?”

There was a definite pearlescent gleam to the Dark One’s skin as she grinned at her wife’s hiss. “But we’re about to meet _her_. _The_ Evil Queen. _The_ most feared in all the realms. The one they actually wouldn’t write histories about because she was _too_ evil.”

“Careful dear,” Regina warned, amusement waning as jealousy threatened, “or I’ll think you want to lick her boots instead of mine.”

The blonde laughed and wrapped her arms around Regina from behind, not caring the least that she feigned indifference. “Despite my undying love for you and you alone,” she assured, “I have _never_ licked your boots.”

“Perhaps not,” Regina allowed, “but I’d wager that I could persuade you.”

“A wager, you say?” Emma hummed deep in her throat. She didn’t like the idea of licking boots but a wager from her wife was not something she could resist.

Regina turned in her arms. “I won’t even make you do it,” she purred, moving in, lips ghosting along Emma’s jaw. “You simply have to admit that you would.”

A challenge then. The teeth nibbling at her earlobe made a compelling argument and also suggested Regina’s method of planned coercion. But could Regina truly bring her to the point that she, the Dark One, would willingly admit defeat? She grinned as this realm’s version of Sydney bustled back into the room, his eyes going wide at the sight of them, before he pompously cleared his throat, “The Queen will see you now.”

Regina’s teeth teased a spot on Emma’s neck before she pulled away. She cocked an eyebrow at her wife. “Well?”

“I accept,” Emma said, offering her arm, “and we’ll discuss the terms of your surrender after we meet with this queen.” The throaty chuckle Regina responded with sent a shiver down to the Dark One’s toes.

The large throne room doors opened before them. “Tell me again, why we’re meeting with the queen,” Regina said quietly as they walked forward. “I thought we were looking for suitable Emmas.”

“My power brought us here. I have yet to see the version of me yet, but if anyone can tell us about her,” Emma nodded towards the occupied throne, “she can.”

“I must say,” a sultry voice from the throne echoed through the chambers, “when Sydney told me there were two magic users here to see me, I didn’t think they’d be stupid enough to try and glamour themselves.”

“We meant no offense, your Majesty,” Regina said smoothly when she heard Emma audibly gulp beside her. She had to admit, her counterpart made sitting on the throne look like a sensual act. “Our natural appearances tend to startle.”

“That may be,” a second voice said, emerging from the shadows behind the throne, “but we _will_ take offense, if you continue this charade.”

“Oh.” It was Regina’s turn to be tongue tied. Unlike the stolid knight version of Emma they’d met in another realm, the Evil Queen’s knight Emma was breathtaking as she moved to stand next to the throne.

The blonde wore a fur-lined royal blue cape over black armor marbled with silver. She stood in stark contrast to the queen’s blood red crushed velvet dress with black accents. Neither woman’s gaze left their guests as the queen lazily offered her hand up and the knight bent to kiss it.

“You’re late,” the Queen chided her dark knight.

The blonde smirked. “Forgive me?”

“Perhaps,” she murmured. “Were you successful?”

“My Queen, you wound me,” the Knight replied. She straightened and eyed the visitors. “No one was left alive.” She settled her shoulders. “Shall I do the same here?”

The Dark One couldn’t quite hold back a short bark of laughter. “Oh, my Queen,” she looked at the pirate queen next to her, “can we keep them?”

“Not now,” Regina growled quietly. There was a snikt as the knight began to pull her sword free from its scabbard. Regina flipped her hand upwards dispelling the glamour covering them. A fireball flared to life as the evil queen stood from her throne; Regina had expected nothing less.

“What is the meaning of this?” the Queen demanded.

“It’s a long story.” Emma conjured two bottles of red wine and held them aloft. “And we’d much rather hear yours.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“I do not care for this realm.”

“They can’t all be as much fun as the last one,” Emma snickered as she led her queen around the dance floor. A night of drinking, dining, and debauchery with the Evil Queen and her Dark Knight had been the most fun they’d had in ages. Emma agreed with her wife about the current realm, but it was still amusing to hear Regina pout. And just for the hell of it, she offered a token argument, “It’s not _that_ bad here.”

Regina stopped in the middle of the dance to put her hands on her hips. “Not. That. _Bad_? I’ve been _banished_!”

Emma laughed and did a quick memory spell on the two couples that had been close enough to hear. One startled gasp was enough to know they were about to raise the alarm that the Evil Queen was in their midst. Then Emma stepped into Regina’s space and began moving them again with the music. “Clearly, they don’t appreciate you here.”

“Obviously.” Her temper was still up but she swayed along with the blonde’s movement. “It’s bad enough they have you all wrapped up and presented like some gift for the richest suitor, but to think they actually got the best of _me_ as well.” She made a disgusted noise in her throat. “Makes me want to burn the place down.”

“She doesn’t get along with her mother-in-law,” Emma said as an excuse to the dancing couple, passing near them with incredulous looks. The woman still looked horrified but the man nodded serenely. Emma steered Regina towards the outer edge of the dancing floor. “All right, but there is one very important detail to like about this realm.”

“Oh?” Regina arched an eyebrow as they stepped off the dance floor. “And what’s that?”

“The Emma and Regina of this realm aren’t together,” Emma said, “and considering Regina has been banis-” at the dark look from her wife, Emma reconsidered her words, “Regina isn’t here.” She received a slight nod of approval. “And isn’t likely to be here anytime in the near future,” she continued, “that makes the Princess a pretty good candidate for the Mayor.”

They stood shoulder to shoulder and looked out over the dance floor at the woman in question. Princess Emma of the Enchanted Forest was being led around the dance floor by a pompous looking prince with sandy blonde hair and teeth that gleamed when he smiled.

“She does look miserable,” Regina had to agree, “but what do we know about her?”

“Not much yet but Snow seems thrilled at her current prospect.”

Both pirates glared daggers at Queen Snow beaming as she watched her oldest daughter being dragged across the dance floor.

“Clearly, we’d be doing the princess a favor,” Regina growled, her hand settling against Emma’s arm to keep her in check. “But for Madam Mayor’s sake, we need to find out if this princess is at all suitable.”

“Agreed.” The Dark One was sorely triggered by the vision of Snow White once again dressed in royal finery. She grabbed a couple of glasses of champagne off a tray from a passing waiter as a distraction. She handed one to Regina and forced her gaze back to the princess. “Well, the best way to find out about her is to integrate ourselves with the staff.”

Regina scoffed. “You can integrate with the staff. I’ll talk to the townspeople.” 

Emma frowned. “Wait. So, I have to cook and clean and you get to sit in the tavern and listen to gossip?”

“I’ll also check in with the stable.”

“You would’ve done that anyway.”

Regina hid her grin behind her glass. “Let’s assume she’s the one we want. What’s your plan?”

Emma clapped politely as the dance ended, and she watched the princess beg off another dance. “I figured we’d just kidnap her.”

Regina’s gaze tracked the princess as she made a hasty escape. “Is kidnapping your solution for everything?”

The Dark One shrugged as she led her queen out onto the floor alongside the other couples. “It worked with you.”


	7. Kidnapping a Princess

Regina sat in the back corner of the tavern, appearing to read a book as she sipped from a glass of whiskey. It was the same place she’d sat every night for the past three nights. It was shadowed and with a little bit of magic, she managed to be both forgotten and unnoticed. It allowed her to learn a great deal about the kingdom but not a lot about the princess. She hoped Emma had fared better.

The blonde in question was making her way through the tavern, carrying two bowls of food, a tankard of beer, and a loaf of bread. She jostled it all as she sat down, spilling some of the beer into the stew. She eyed it for a second, then shrugged and pulled the bowl with the most spillage closer to her side of the table. “So,” she said, mixing the beer in with her spoon, “what’d you find out?”

Regina watched in amazement as the Dark One happily dug into the stew which she personally eyed with more distrust. After all, it was the same stew they had been serving for three days. Within minutes, Emma’s spoon was already scraping the bottom of the bowl which she magically refilled. Regina reached a hand across the table and laid it on Emma’s arm. “Slow down,” she said, “you’re going to make yourself sick.”

Emma flushed slightly. “Sorry, I’m just so hungry.” She reached for the loaf of bread. “Keeping a castle clean is hard work.”

“You didn’t use magic?” Regina asked.

“Couldn’t. I was with others all day.” She tore the loaf in half, then half again, offering Regina the middle portion and keeping the end for herself.

“Well, that was kind of the point.”

Emma nodded, dunking her bread into the stew. “I think this princess is the one we’ve been looking for. The kitchen staff and house servants love her, she drives her tutors crazy, she hates her life here, but she’s not completely downtrodden yet. Also, if I have to stay one more day in the vicinity of Snow White, something bad is going to happen.”

Regina had been afraid of that. “It was your turn,” she reminded. When Emma frowned at her, she conceded, “However, I’m sure you can think of some harmless mischief to subject this Snow to. By all accounts, I’m sure she deserves it.”

Emma straightened, her imp side jumping to attention. “My Queen, are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Am I saying, that I think you should have some fun at Snow’s expense before we kidnap her daughter?” She gave Emma her best pirate smile. “Yes.”

The blonde giggled and a flush of pearlescent scales flashed quickly across her hands. “Soooo many ideas.”

Regina rapped her knuckles on the table, drawing Emma’s attention. “We still have a few things to discuss, Imp.”

Emma gave her a goofy grin. “Spoilsport.” The pearlescent sheen on her skin began to fade. “From my end, the princess works for our needs. What did you find out?”

“Not a lot,” Regina admitted. “To the people, Princess Emma is a non-entity. Her younger brother has been selected to inherit this kingdom. She is expected to marry a prince and strengthen ties to some other land. The people here didn’t have anything bad to say about her; they simply didn’t have anything to say about her at all.”

“All of which works to our favor.”

Regina nodded her agreement. “There is only one point of concern I still have.”

“Oh?”

“Is she attracted to women?”

Emma threw her head back and laughed. “Oh, not to worry about that, my Queen. She totally is!”

Regina was relieved to hear it but given Emma’s reaction, she wanted details. “What did you do?”

“Let’s just say, she noticed me.” Emma grinned. “I used three different glamours and each time, she checked me out.”

Regina was a little disappointed. “Maybe she was just interested in seeing someone new on her personal staff.”

Emma laughed again. “You forget, my dear wife, I’m still the Dark One.” Emma nodded when she saw Regina realize her error. “Yeah, her thoughts about me…not so pure and virginal.” She wobbled her hand from side to side. “A bit vanilla and naïve perhaps, but definitely way more interested in her handmaidens than she was any of the princes from the ball.”

Regina grinned at the news. “Well, then, it sounds to me like we have a princess to kidnap.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Regina and Emma appeared in the darkened bed chamber in a swirl of dark smoke. The Dark One glanced at her queen and smirked. The Evil Queen of the Enchanted Seas had appeared in her full pirate regalia. Regina wore a jacket the color of wine corseted at her waist with tails that flared out behind her, black leather pants that appeared to be painted on, and black boots that crested the top of her knees with flair. A sword hung at her hip with a dagger tucked into the belt on the opposite side. Her hair flowed down to her shoulders beneath a hat that curled up on one side with decorative black feathering along its edge.

Emma looked the part as well but she chose to stick with a single color. Black. The Dark One wore her long, black leather coat over a black shirt and vest, black pants and black boots that stopped below her knee. The hilt of a blade could be seen topping each boot and a sword hung from her hip.

As grand as their entrance was, it went unnoticed by the single sleeping occupant of the room. Princess Emma slept like the innocent, unencumbered by nightmares or threats of danger. She had no clue there was a dangerous presence in her room. Regina nodded at Emma to get on with it so Emma slowly pulled her sword from its scabbard, angling it so the blade would scrape noisily as she drew it.

The Princess slept on.

“Well,” Regina said somewhat quietly, “she sleeps as dead to the world as you do.”

Emma huffed and dragged the tip of her sword against the bare flagstones of the floor sending up sparks and making an irritating noise. The Princess stirred, grumbled in her sleep, and turned over to her side. Regina pinched the bridge of her nose. They hadn’t wanted to terrify the Princess but they had been hoping to have a little bit of fun. Now it seemed their grand entrance was all for naught.

“All right,” Emma growled and stalked towards the bed. Regina moved to stop her but then let her pass. She threw a silencing spell towards the doors just as the Dark One clamped one gloved hand over the Princess’ mouth. “Time to wake up, Princess.”

The Princess startled awake, eyes going wide as she saw a menacing figure standing over her. She tried to wrench away but the grip tightened over her mouth and she saw the flash of a sword in the dark figure’s opposite hand. She froze, trembling as she belatedly noticed a second presence in the room.

Regina stepped forward, the moonlight providing the perfect amount of shadowing for her face. “Good evening, Princess,” she said, dropping her voice an octave. “Be a good girl and a don’t make a sound.”

Eyes the size of saucers watched Regina fearfully as her hands clutched at the bedsheets.

“Promise to not make a sound,” the voice at the side of the bed whispered but it was cold and the Princess thought she could feel the words sink all the way into her bones. She nodded furiously.

“Swan,” Regina’s voice warned. The voice of the Dark One had sent shivers down her spine as well. The blonde pirate glared at her but then seemed to recover herself. She released the Princess and backed away. Regina nodded to her then returned her attention to the princess. “Do you know who we are?”

The Princess shook her head, but then surprised Regina when she spoke. “Are you pirates?”

Emma and Regina exchanged a look. Regina nodded. “Yes, we are.”

The Princess glanced at the figure still hidden in shadow beside her but quickly returned her attention to the woman at the foot of her bed. She felt slightly less dangerous. “Are you here to kidnap me?”

The figure at the side of the bed snorted then released what sounded like a long-suffering sigh. It confused the Princess especially when she saw and heard the figure sheathe their sword.

Like Emma, Regina had also heard the note of hope in the Princess’ voice. If the Princess was eager to be kidnapped, it went well for their plans, but the Dark One was not getting to have any fun. Regina would have to make it up to her and let her wreak havoc somewhere soon. She shook her head as she addressed the Princess. “Yes, we’re here to kidnap you.”

A smile broke out across the Princess’ face as she sat up in the bed, but she quickly smothered the expression, dropping her gaze to her hands now folded in her lap. “Are you going to kill me?”

Regina arched an eyebrow. “No.”

“Then you plan to ransom me back to my mother?”

“Your mother,” Emma growled, “you mean, the _White_ Queen?” The Princess nodded, cringing away from the shimmery dark presence. Emma reined in her darkness; now was clearly not the time to let it out to play. “No. You will not be ransomed to the queen.”

“Then what are your plans.”

“You ask too many questions,” Emma growled again. Never had she had a kidnapping go like this before.

“Get up,” Regina instructed the Princess, taking charge before Emma threw a complete fit. “You have one minute to gather your things.”

“My things?!”

Regina dared not glance at Emma. She knew her wife was incredulous and that would only make Regina laugh. “You will not be returning to this castle,” Regina managed to tell the Princess. “If there is some keepsake you would like to bring with you, now would be the time to grab it.”

For a second the Princess hesitated, then she threw the covers off and scrambled out of the bed, skirting past Emma. She went straight to her vanity, dumped out a small bag of powders and began rooting through drawers tucking things into the bag. Regina moved to stand by her wife. She chuckled as she dropped her hand into the crook of the blonde’s elbow. “Not going how you expected?”

“That is the understatement of the century.”

Before Regina could reply, the Princess approached them. She kept her head down, stealing quick glances at Emma now standing in the moonlight. “Your Majesty, if I may?”

“Speak,” Regina commanded, slightly thrown off by being addressed by her title.

“May I change clothes?”

“Be quick about it.”

The Princess curtsied then rushed towards her closet.

“I thought she didn’t know who we were,” Emma mused. They’d dropped their glamours for the night, wanting to appear as themselves.

“So, she claimed,” Regina replied. When the Princess returned, she wore riding attire and clutched a small satchel. The pirate could see the head of a stuffed unicorn sticking out of the top flap. She grasped the Princess by the chin and gently forced her to look up. “Do you know who we are?”

“I didn’t at first, your Majesty,” the Princess admitted eyes downcast. “I’ve only ever seen paintings of you before.”

Regina’s eyes narrowed. “And you aren’t afraid?”

A flush crept into the Princess’ cheeks. She dared to raise her eyes to Regina's. “I’ve always wanted to meet you.”

“That’s it. We’re done here,” Emma said and snapped her fingers. The Princess collapsed unconscious straight into Regina’s arms.

“Emma!!” Regina barely kept the Princess from falling to the floor.

The Dark One giggled before they all three disappeared in a whirl of smoke.


	8. When a Princess meets a Mayor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so much fun to write. I hope you enjoy reading it.

Princess Emma awoke slowly, wondering for a moment why she’d woken before her attendants arrived. She could count on one hand how many times that had happened. Then she remembered her dream of the Pirate Queen and her eyes flew open to find herself in an unfamiliar room. She quickly sat up, her hands pressing into a cushion the likes of which she’d never felt. Clearly, it served as a mattress as she had been sleeping on it, but it didn’t feel anything like the stuffed bedding of her kingdom.

And then there was the room itself. It was barely a fraction of the size of her bedchambers and yet it held a certain beauty in its plain yet functional décor. There was a nightstand next to the bed, a dresser and vanity along the far wall, and a rocking chair situated next to the window. The princess leaned forward trying to see out the window but the lacy coverings obscured the view. When she leaned forward, she noticed her riding boots standing neatly next to the chair at the vanity, and she looked down at herself to see she still wore her riding clothes. Riding clothes that she distinctly remembered changing into after the pirates graciously allowed her the opportunity. The pirates… “Surely, it was no dream and this is no ship,” she whispered. She’d sailed before and no ship quarters had ever rivaled this plus she felt no motion of the sea rushing beneath her.

Cautiously, she slipped off the bed, pausing to let her toes dig into the soft floor covering, and made her way to the window. A grassy square of land edged by trees was the only thing she could see. It was clearly well-maintained with a fruit bearing tree of some sort at its center. It was nice, picturesque even, but it answered none of her questions. Where were her captors? How long had she been asleep? Had they truly been pirates? Did that mean that the Evil Queen her mother had always warned her about was now a pirate?

She turned away from the window and felt her stomach rumble in hunger. It also warned her of another problem. She looked quickly around the room, even opening the slatted doors which turned out to be a wardrobe of some sort, but found nowhere suitable to relieve herself. She eyed what was clearly the main door to the room and wondered with some trepidation what she would find if she opened it, if she _could_ open it. Making the sort of decision that would make her mother’s hair turn grey, or so Snow had always claimed, Emma quickly pulled on her boots and readied herself. If she was fated to die, at least she would not die barefoot.

When she heard the first creak of floor boards, Mayor Regina was in her study, going over a new proposal for the town hall. She paused but didn’t think much of the sound, just the house settling as the wind blew or the temperature changed outside. When she heard a light thump, she lifted her head enough to turn and look out the window behind her. The trees and bushes were still, no sign of gusty winds. She frowned but when she didn’t hear anything else, she went back to the proposal. It had been sitting on her desk for weeks and she’d been avoiding it. Planning for a future, when she hadn’t been sure she’d even be around for it had felt rather futile. However, with the appearance of the Savior and her Pirate Queen, life in Storybrooke had begun blossoming once more.

The two pirates had left rather abruptly two weeks earlier. They’d promised to return but had been secretive about their destination. After having lived with Zelena and Henry the past two years, Regina easily recognized the expressions people shared when they were conspiring against her. The shared looks, dodged questions, and impish delight had not made Regina feel threatened however, so she hadn’t pushed. Still, she did wonder what the two pirates were up to.

Another floor board creaked upstairs and Regina stood up from her desk. Zelena and Henry were both supposed to be out for the day and she hadn’t heard either of them return. When the sound of water running through the pipes reached her ears, she reached out with magic and instantly found a presence upstairs that should not be there. “What the hell?”

Someone was in her house. She stormed towards the stairs, letting her magic build; she relished having it back at full force. As she reached the landing, she could hear the faucet in the guest bathroom running wide open. The door was partially closed and she could just make out movement beyond it. Summoning a fireball in her hand, she slammed the door all the way open with magic. “I don’t know who-”

The person in the bathroom yelped and fell backwards when the door flew open. At the sight of open flame, they yelped again and tripped over their own feet, falling to the floor, and holding up one arm over their head in defense. “Please! Don’t! I’m sorry!”

The Mayor could hardly see the intruder’s face and she frowned as she moved forward trying to get a better look. The figure on the floor, a woman, cringed further away, but the blonde hair was unmistakable. “Emma?”

The arm lowered a fraction and the blonde head turned slightly until wide, green eyes peered back. “Y-yes. I’m…Emma.”

Regina let out a noise of disgust and doused the flame in her hand. With a second quick motion, she turned off the faucet that had been continuously running. “What in all the realms are you doing up here?”

It didn’t occur to the Princess to say anything but the truth. “I was, I was looking for a chamber…room.” She slowly lowered her arm the rest of the way and sat partially up. “I needed to…”

Regina frowned as she looked at the woman more closely. There was something soft and delicate about her appearance. Qualities one would not expect to see in a hundred years old pirate much less the Dark One. “You’re not a pirate, are you?”

The blonde on the floor shook her head. “No.” She took in the towering woman’s appearance. She had a regal bearing and looked familiar. At the very least, her attire did not appear to be sea worthy. “Are you?”

The Mayor scoffed and shook her head. “No.” She offered her hand and pulled the blonde to her feet. “Who are you?”

Standing eye to eye with the brunette and finding herself at the same height gave the Princess that bit of courage she usually felt when she snuck her horse out for a ride without her guards. “I am Princess Emma of the Enchanted Forest, daughter of Snow White, Queen of the White Kingdom.”

“Princess,” Regina repeated after a beat of silence. “I see. And, uh…” She paused, hating that she sounded less than sure, but the green eyes staring back at her were very distracting. She cleared her throat. “Why are you in my bathroom?”

“Bath-room,” the Princess repeated, sounding out the unfamiliar word as she glanced around. “Oh! This is your bathing chamber.”

“It’s not the one I use,” Regina started.

“You have more than one?” Emma interrupted.

“Uh, four.”

“Four!” The Princess straightened in amazement. She hadn’t realized how closely she’d been leaning towards the brunette. “This must be an impressive castle.”

“It’s not a castle,” Regina said, then made a sharp gesture with her hand. “We’re getting far off track.” She immediately felt bad when she saw the Princess flinch and draw further back. She held up her hands more calmly. “Let’s start over.” She held her hand to her chest. “My name’s Regina.”

Emma’s eyes widened and she immediately dropped into a deep curtsy. “Please forgive me, your Majesty. In my excitement, I didn’t recognize you.”

Flustered, Regina grabbed for the blonde’s elbow pulling her back up. “You know who I am?”

“You’re the Evi…” A flush crept up the Princess’ pale cheeks as she snapped her mouth shut and lowered her eyes. “You’re the Queen.” When she was met with silence, she peeked up. “Aren’t you?”

“I _was_ a queen,” Regina admitted finally. For a moment, it had sounded like the Princess had been about to call her evil.

Emma immediately dropped her gaze again upon confirmation. She was so confused. The pirate last night had also claimed to be the queen, but this was clearly not the same woman. Except they kind of looked alike and this one had definitely been holding fire in her hand earlier. Dark magic, her mother had always said, the banished evil queen had dealt in dark magic, and she’d killed thousands. She’d destroyed entire villages with fire that had sprung from her hands.

Taking a steadying breath, Emma raised her chin. “Are you going to kill me?”

“What?!” The Mayor actually took a step back at the unexpected question. “No! I’m not going to…” She felt a headache forming in her temple. It felt like the conversation had taken yet another unexpected turn. _And_ they were still standing in the bathroom. “Let’s go downstairs and we can sit down, talk more comfortably about all this, perhaps over a glass of wine.” Regina didn’t normally day drink but sometimes circumstance required she make allowances.

The Princess shifted on her feet. Her earlier problem once again rearing its head. “I’m afraid I cannot, your Majesty.”

“Please don’t call me that,” Regina said, “and why can’t you?”

“I’m terribly uncomfortable at the moment,” the Princess said, trying desperately to determine how to politely ask for what she needed. “And drinking would only make me more uncomfortable, I’m afraid.”

Regina frowned for a moment then realization struck. “Oh! You were looking for…” Emma nodded quickly. “Right. Well, you found it.” She gestured awkwardly at the toilet behind the princess.

Emma spun around and stared at the strange looking chair situated between the sink and bathing area. “That’s a…?”

“Yes,” Regina said, lifting the closed lid. She quickly explained to the Princess how to use it and how to flush before excusing herself and pulling the door closed behind her. She could feel the heat radiating off her face and the furious color that had climbed into the blonde’s cheeks had been even more noticeable. And Regina still had no idea what was going on. She sighed as she made her way towards the stairs. “I’m going to need more than just one glass.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

An hour later, the Mayor felt like she was finally getting a handle on the situation. The Princess had eventually made her way downstairs, marveling at the indoor plumbing and light sources that didn’t burn as flames. The Princess had happily accepted a glass of wine; she’d then blushed when her stomach growled loud enough Regina had been able to hear it. Not wanting to have a tipsy princess on her hands, Regina had tabled their immediate discussion in order to make a simple lunch for the both of them.

While she’d begun dicing up the ingredients for omelets, another skill the Princess had been overly impressed a queen would deign to have, Regina had tried to get a coherent version of events that explained Emma’s presence in her home. 

“Let me see if I’ve got this straight,” Regina said, pushing her empty plate towards the middle of the kitchen island. “You woke up in the middle of the night to find two pirates in your room, one of whom looked like me, and they said they were kidnapping you, and then you woke up here.”

The Princess nodded absently, her natural curiosity drawing her attention to her surroundings. Everything was so different. She, of course, recognized common elements like utensils and cutlery, the eggs and meat which made up the food she’d eaten, but things were so different. The knife handles were made from a material she’d never seen, and what sort of noble was Regina that she had bar stools inside her home. It was the first time Emma had ever been allowed to sit upon one.

Regina asked another question but given the Princess’ wide-eyed wonder, she wasn’t surprised when it went unanswered. She tried to remember how it felt when they’d woken up from the curse and learned all about this new land that the magic had provided them knowledge of. She watched with fondness as the blonde could no longer sit still and got up to look around. After several moments, Regina sighed and began cleaning up the kitchen, leaving the Princess to her explorations. The Mayor had easily figured out that it was Emma and Regina that had brought the Princess to their realm, what she couldn’t determine was why. And why had they left her in Regina’s house? Her irritation at the situation was simmering into anger the longer she thought about it. Until finally, she snapped out, “Dark One, I summon thee, and you better show up and explain yourself.”

A plume of dark red smoke appeared in her kitchen followed by another plume of dark grey smoke. Rumple and Emma both stood there, holding tea cups of all things. Regina glared at Rumple. “Not you. I just meant _her_.”

The two Dark Ones exchanged a look. “You should be more cautious with your words, dearie.” Rumple saluted her with his tea cup and disappeared. The cup in Emma’s hand disappeared as well.

“Hey!” Emma groused to the ether. “I wasn’t finished with that.”

“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Regina snapped.

“Well, I _was_ having a cup of tea with a fellow Dark One.”

It wasn’t at all what Regina had meant and yet it did beg the question. “Why?”

Emma shrugged. “Discussing tricks of the trade.”

A plume of green smoke and a plume of purple smoke deposited Zelena and the Pirate Regina at the other end of the kitchen. The Mayor glared at them. “What are you doing here?”

“We were having breakfast together when she got the call,” Zelena explained and began making herself a cup of tea.

“What call?”

“When you called me, I called my queen,” Emma said. “Speaking of, where’s the Princess?”

As if on cue, the tv in the living room blared to life. Zelena frowned towards the living room and the source of the sound seemed to be cycling quickly through channels as the volume increased. “It’s the middle of the day; shouldn’t Henry be at work?”

“It’s not Henry!” the Mayor said, stomping out of the kitchen. She pointed at the Dark One. “Do _not_ go anywhere.”

Emma was tempted to leave just to spite her when she caught her Regina’s eye. The brunette pirate shook her head. “Don’t.”

“But she makes it so easy,” the Dark One whined.

“She really does beg for it when she gets all imperious like that,” Zelena agreed, steeping her tea as the tv in the other room finally cut off. Shortly thereafter, Regina appeared back in the kitchen followed by another Emma. The red-headed witch’s eyes widened. “What in Oz is going on?”

“That’s exactly what I want to know,” the Mayor said, directing the Princess back to her bar stool, but the Princess balked at the sight of the two pirates. Instead of sitting, she edged back a step, standing slightly behind the Mayor.

The Mayor noticed and her tone softened. “It’s all right. They’re not here to hurt you.”

“She looks like me,” the Princess said softly. When she realized everyone had heard her, she curtsied in deference to Regina. “Your Majesty.”

“Hello again, Princess,” Regina greeted her politely. The Dark One rolled her eyes. Zelena’s gaze ping-ponged back and forth between the four women like she was watching a tennis match.

“So, the two of you did bring her here?” the Mayor clarified. “Why?”

The two pirates exchanged a glance. They weren’t about to admit that they were matchmaking. Emma shrugged, offering no explanation. Zelena, catching on quickly, started cackling. “Oh, this is brillant.” She nodded at the brunette pirate. “You’re right. I love it.”

“Love what?” the Mayor spat, glaring at her sister and counterpart. When neither woman answered her, she growled. “You know what? It doesn’t matter.” She pointed at the Dark One. “You need to take the Princess home. Now.”

“What?”

“No.”

“Not going to happen.”

“Please don’t send me back.”

It was the hand on her sleeve and the quietly uttered request that got the Mayor’s attention most. She glanced down at the hand on her arm and then up to the Princess’ suddenly sad eyes. “What?”

The Princess shook her head. “I don’t…please, don’t make me go back there.”

Regina watched the Mayor quickly reappraise the Princess. By all outward appearances, the Princess seemed fine, well taken care of, no obvious signs of abuse. She was healthy, her clothes were clean and well-made, she displayed all the manners expected of a royal. She had a curious nature and was an open book with her emotions. Pirate Regina knew the Mayor was finding no fault and was not surprised when the Mayor looked to her for an explanation.

“My understanding of _your_ story is that as queen, you were not forced to marry,” Regina said. “Is that accurate?”

The Mayor nodded. “Yes, I was fortunate in that regard.”

“I was not so fortunate,” the Pirate Queen said, her voice hard. It had been a long time ago, before her pirating days, but she still remembered her first marriage. Regina nodded towards the Princess. “And neither will she be if you make her return.”

“Her mother wants to marry her off like she’s a prize to be won,” Emma snarled; Zelena made a noise of disgust in her throat.

The Mayor turned back to the Princess. “Is this true?”

The Princess was staring at the floor. “Yes. My younger brother has been announced as successor to the throne, and I will be married off to a prince to strengthen alliances between the kingdoms.”

“It’s not an uncommon practice,” the Mayor admitted, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Bollocks.” Zelena set her tea down rather harshly. “If Gina won’t keep you, I will. You can come stay with me, dear.”

The Princess smiled tentatively. “Thank you.” She hesitated then asked, “Who are you?”

“I’m Zelena, Wicked Witch of the West (reformed), and Regina’s sister.” She pointed at the Mayor. “That Regina, not the pirate.” She threw the pirate Regina a wink. “Sorry, darling.”

The Princess’ eyes had gone wide in confusion again. “The West of what?”

“Oz, dear,” Zelena answered. “That’s where I’m from.”

“Technically, you’re from the Enchanted Forest and you just relocated to Oz,” Emma threw out.

“Relocated is a nice euphemism,” Zelena said. “I was barely a week old when I was thrown out of the E.F.”

“You were thrown out?” the Princess asked.

“I was only a couple of hours old when I was tossed out,” the Dark One replied.

“Really?” Zelena asked, surprised. “I didn’t know Snow had it in her to do something so wicked.”

The two Reginas eyed each other, choosing to stay out of it. They’d both been born and raised in the Enchanted Forest with stable if not the most loving homes.

“Your mother is Snow White?” Princess Emma asked. “You really are…me?”

The Dark One nodded. “A version of us, yes.”

“There are different versions of us?” she asked.

They all nodded.

“And all of you are from the Enchanted Forest?”

“Technically, yes,” Regina the Pirate answered. “My version of the Enchanted Forest was different from theirs.” She indicated the Mayor and Zelena.

“But you said you were a queen.”

“I was.”

The Princess looked at the Mayor. “And you were a queen as well?”

“Yes.”

The Princess glanced between the two of them. “And were either of you known as The _Evil_ Queen of the Enchanted Forest?”

“No.” Both Reginas replied and then scowled at the Dark One when she giggled.

“I see,” the Princess said not sounding sure at all. “And, where are we now?”

“Storybrooke,” they all answered in unison.

The Princess sat down on the bar stool. After a moment, she looked at the Mayor. “Would it be possible to have that drink now?”


	9. Deals, Dressing Rooms, and Diners

The Dark One couldn’t help the broad smile that spread across her face at the food being piled in front of her. A still sizzling bacon cheeseburger with perfectly golden French fries, a mouthwatering portion of lasagna as big as the plate, a stack of fluffy pancakes with melting butter, a frosty chocolate milk shake topped with whip cream, an ice-cold beer, and a cup of coffee with two creams and two sugars. She looked up at Storybrooke’s version of Ruby and beamed, “I could kiss you for this.”

"Hard pass," the tall brunette laughed, “Your Queen doesn't seem like the sharing type and I like my bits where they are." She dropped extra napkins on the table. "If you manage to eat all this, I held back the ice cream you ordered so it wouldn’t melt.”

Emma reached for the napkin wrapped silverware. “Keep it ready because I am famished and eating all this will not be a problem!” Her only problem now was where to start.

“And where is your better half this morning?” Ruby asked.

“Shopping with the Princess.” She put the silverware back down; she’d start with the burger. Didn’t need silverware for that.

Ruby frowned. “You mean she’s with our Queen.”

“Yeah, her too,” Emma said distracted, forgetting that they hadn’t actually told anyone yet about the Princess. She pulled the plate with the burger closer to her. She used both hands to wrap around the bun and carefully bring the masterpiece of grilled beef and melted cheese to her mouth.

The bell over the diner’s door clanged mercilessly, drawing her attention as Snow White entered the diner. The Dark One growled deep in her throat, startling Ruby enough that she hopped back a step. The movement caught Snow’s gaze and her cheery expression dimmed at the sight of Emma, a sadness filling her eyes as she automatically moved towards the table where her daughter sat.

“No!” Emma spat, dropping her burger before she ruined it by squeezing it to a mushy pulp. “Don’t come any closer.”

Snow stopped, but said, “Please, Emma-”

“I am _trying_ to eat.” She glared down at the food on the table. She just wanted to enjoy one fucking feast. Was that really so damn hard to accomplish? “Go. Away.”

“I just want to get to know my daughter!” Snow pleaded, inching forward. “I’m your mother.”

Emma’s head snapped up, a scathing retort on the tip of her tongue, “I don’t _need-”_ She cut herself off, head cocking to the side as she had a thought. “Come back in an hour. I will speak to you then.”

Snow squealed in delight and surged towards Emma with an irresistible need to hug the blonde woman. Emma flung up one hand, freezing her, then poofed her away. She exhaled heavily and cracked her neck, surveying her table. She grabbed the beer and drained it in one long swallow. When she held the empty bottle out, Ruby cautiously took it from her.

“Another?” the waitress asked.

“Mmm-hmmm.” She sighed and picked up the burger again. She was going to have her feast in peace, damn it. If she had to poof everyone in Storybrooke to the town line to do it, so be it.

“You know she’ll be back in an hour, right?” Ruby asked, handing over two cold beers. “I mean, I don’t know where you sent her, but she won’t miss this chance.”

Emma grunted in appreciation of the beverages. “I’m counting on it,” she muttered before finally opening her mouth wide and tearing into the burger. Ruby clenched her thighs together at the indecent sounds the Dark One made as she enjoyed her meal.

Fifty-nine minutes later, the bell over the door rang again, admitting a slightly disheveled and sweaty Snow followed by a confused looking Charming. The pixie haired woman paused to catch her breath and Emma lazily scraped a spoon against the bottom of her ice cream dish.

There was a little less positivity and a bit more determination showing as Snow approached the Dark One’s table. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

A shimmer of iridescence raced up Emma’s neck as she looked up. She smirked and gestured to the seat opposite her. “Have a seat.” Once the couple was settled across from her, she clasped scaled hands together on top of the table. “Let’s make a deal.”

Snow may have been a slow learner, but she knew enough to be wary of deals. She leaned back in the booth away from the glittering eyes of the Dark One. “What do you have in mind?”

“I will tell you everything you wish to know about why I want nothing to do with you,” she grinned at the flinch, “and in return, you will have the opportunity to help the daughter you always wanted.”

Charming wasn’t subtle with his confusion as he looked to Snow. There didn’t seem to be an upside for Emma which, of course, was ridiculous. No Dark One in history would make a deal in which they didn’t get something in return. Snow tried to see her way through the words the way Regina had always cautioned, but ultimately, she was being given the opportunity to help her daughter. “Deal.”

It never occurred to Snow that there was more than one Emma in town.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The Pirate Queen brought a hand to her mouth to cover an unexpected chuckle. The Mayor and the Princess both looked over at her.

“Something amusing?” the Mayor asked, an eyebrow arched.

“It’s me, isn’t it?” Princess Emma’s face fell as she turned back to the dressing room mirror. “I look ridiculous, don’t I?”

“Not at all,” the Mayor snapped immediately, glaring at the pirate. She needlessly adjusted the Henley sweater’s hem, tugging it into a slightly different spot. “This could be a really good look for you.”

“I assure you, Princess, I was not laughing at you,” the Pirate assured. She rather enjoyed how the Princess looked in the tight jeans and dark grey sweater, but they weren’t here to make the Princess an exact copy of her Emma. “However, if you don’t like how the clothes look, we can try something else.”

“I feel like I’m playing dress up,” the Princess admitted, “and that I shouldn’t go outside in this.” She wrapped her arms around her middle, then whispered, “It’s all rather tight.”

The Mayor stepped back. “It does take a bit of adjustment to get used to the clothes here.” She mused for a moment looking Emma over. “I have an idea.” With a flick of her wrist, she conjured a well-tailored suit in her hand. “Why don’t you try this?”

The Princess accepted the hanger, hands running over the fine material. When she grinned and headed back to the changing room with a spring in her step, the Mayor and Pirate exchanged a look.

“She was raised a princess,” the Pirate admitted. “She likes fine things.”

“I thought she might.” The Mayor sat down in the one chair that was available. She checked her phone then looked up at the pirate. “So, what were you laughing about?”

“My imp is inordinately pleased with herself about something,” she answered, touching her chest where she’d felt the mirth. “Which means, I should probably go check on her and see what mischief she is up to.”

The door to the dressing room opened and the Princess stepped out. Both queens stood up to face her. Emma pulled down on the jacket. “Well, how do I look?”

The Mayor had given her quite the outfit and the Pirate made a mental note to have one made for the Dark One. The black jacket was fitted and perfectly trimmed with a satin peak lapel and a crisp white blouse underneath. Black slacks tapered at the ankle showcased perfectly tone legs without making the Princess feel as awkward as she had in the skinny jeans. The Pirate glanced over at her counterpart and bumped the Mayor’s elbow so she’d close her mouth.

“T-that…you look fantastic,” Madam Mayor finally managed.

“I think you’ve found your look,” Regina offered, “and luckily there are plenty of styles to choose from for such attire.”

“Really?” Emma turned, looking at herself in the three-way mirror. She looked over her shoulder at the Mayor. “Do you really like it?”

“I do,” the Mayor reassured, “but the question is, do you?”

The Princess turned back to the mirror. She grinned, smoothing her hands down over her hips. “I really do. I can move in it, but it still looks…presentable.”

“That it does,” the Mayor murmured, flicking her wrist towards the room. “Why don’t you go try on a few more styles and colors?”

“There are more?” Emma asked, smiling broadly.

“There are now,” Regina answered, adding a few of her own design to the ones the Mayor had conjured. “Go see which ones you like.”

They watched Emma bounce away back to the dressing room. The Mayor turned and eyed the pirate. “I hope you don’t think that I don’t know what you’re doing.”

The Pirate grinned. She hadn’t been certain despite the Dark One assuring her that the Mayor would catch on to them. “Oh? And what is it that you _think_ I’m doing?”

“Meddling.”

“Meddling?” Regina repeated with a laugh.

“Matchmaking. You and the Dark One and probably my sister,” the Mayor said sounding a bit disgruntled.

The Pirate pretended to be interested in the rack of clothes that had not yet been stocked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She plucked a short black nightie off the rack and held it up for inspection. The light blush on the Mayor’s cheeks amused her. “This isn’t really her color…yours maybe?”

The Mayor huffed and snatched it out of the Pirate’s hand, putting it back on the rack. “I will not take advantage of that girl.”

“Take advantage?” The Pirate didn’t like how that sounded. She dropped her playful tone. “What do you mean?”

“The Princess, while beautiful, is innocent.”

Regina snorted. “And?”

“I may not be an ‘evil’ queen but I am certainly not innocent,” the Mayor hissed.

“I’d be disappointed in us if you were,” Regina muttered. “Listen, I’m not suggesting you set out to seduce her, but why shouldn’t it be you that…courts her?” She sniffed. “I mean, clearly she’s interested in us.”

“Who’s interested?”

Both former queens spun around, caught. The Princess stood behind them wearing one of the outfits Regina had made. The light sea foam green was a color the Dark One would never wear, but it really brought out her eyes. “Oh my.”

The Princess tucked one hand in a hip pocket and looked down. Her other hand played with the jacket’s single button, drawing their attention to the sliver of skin showing almost down to her naval. “You don’t think it’s too much?”

The Mayor released a strangled noise. “Not at all.”

Regina watched the Princess smirk as the Mayor blushed. “Perhaps she’s not so innocent after all.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

An hour later, Regina strolled up to Granny’s in time to see Charming leading a very pale Snow away, tucked protectively under his arm. She slowed, not wanting to interact with them, and saw Emma exit the diner, practically hopping down the steps in glee. Regina watched Emma plop down in one of the outside plastic chairs, prop her feet up on the table, and light up a cigarette.

With a shake of her head, Regina moved to join her, eyebrow raised. Emma spotted her, smiled broadly and threw both of her hands in the air. “My Queen!”

“You look pleased with yourself,” Regina commented.

Emma folded one hand behind her head and exhaled a long plume of smoke. “It’s been a satisfying afternoon.”

Regina gestured for Emma to hand the cigarette over. “Do tell.”

“I made a deal with Snow.”

The giggle that followed sent a shiver down Regina’s spine. Her mind raced at the possibilities her imp could come up with. “Is that why she looked like she was ready to pass out?”

Emma nodded. “I let her know _exactly_ why I want nothing to do with her. Let her directly experience a few of the more distasteful memories of her other self.”

Regina was impressed. Emma had almost three years’ worth of memories that she could draw on when she was kept as the Evil Snow’s slave. “I imagine that made an impression.”

Emma held up her thumb and forefinger. “Little bit.” She leaned forward onto the table. “I gave her a few not-so-subtle hints about her treatment towards you as well. That seemed a bit closer to home for her, maybe shocked her a little more to see how she turned out.”

“Well, she was always spoiled but King George and James contributed a lot to her darkness.” Regina took a drag on the cigarette before stubbing it out, ignoring the blonde’s frown. “Was there a point to all that?”

“It was fun?” Emma smirked then shrugged. “She won’t be bothering me anymore, won’t be begging for my attention.”

Regina considered that, frowned. “That’s not all of it. We won’t be staying here indefinitely. You could’ve easily avoided her when we visit.”

“You know me so well, my Queen,” Emma said, then brightened. “You said ‘visit’.”

“Emma, your son is here,” she said patiently. “I assumed you’d want to visit more often.” She shrugged. “Not to mention the princess that we now bear some responsibility for is also here.”

“I might have just helped with that actually,” Emma said, then made a point of looking around. “Where is she? I thought you’d be shopping for a lot longer.”

“My presence wasn’t needed and was possibly confusing the issue.”

“Two of you,” the Dark One hummed getting lost in the rather delicious thought of two Reginas. Fingers snapped in front of her face, bringing her back to the present and her wife. She cleared her throat. “So, the Princess and the Mayor are acknowledging that they like each other?”

Regina’s eyes narrowed, knowing perfectly well what thought had distracted the blonde. However, she couldn’t very well stay mad at her having had some of the same intriguing thoughts herself regarding the Princess and the Dark One…well, maybe not the Princess, but definitely that cop from Atlanta. When Emma tapped her finger on the table and raised her eyebrows, Regina brought herself back on track. “There’s definitely an attraction from both sides,” she said. “I think the Princess is all for it, but the Queen is reluctant. She’s concerned that she and the Princess aren’t at the same level.”

“Same level of what?”

“Life, I suppose,” Regina said.

“You always were reluctant to embrace happiness,” Emma practically growled.

“I beg your pardon.” When Emma only stared her down in response, she leaned back. It didn’t matter if Emma had a point, Regina wasn’t going to admit it. “I’ll have you remember, I said ‘I love you’ first. You were ready to drop me at the nearest port and be miserable for the rest of your existence.”

The Dark One spluttered, “Okay, yeah, maybe, but…I…I didn’t.” Regina arched one eyebrow at her. “Because…I…listened to you.”

“Nice save.”

“I thought so.”

“Hmmm.” They both grinned at each other. “I bet if we enlist Zelena and Henry’s help, the Mayor and the Princess will be together in no time.”

“Which brings me back to the deal I made with Snow and how it helps us.”

“Oh?”

“Despite Snow’s overtures towards me, I’m not the daughter she wants.” The Dark One paused to see if her wife caught on, when she didn’t, Emma continued. “Snow wanted to raise a princess.”

Regina’s eyes widened. “You didn’t!”

“I promised only that she would have the opportunity; I guaranteed nothing.”

“But the Princess doesn’t like her mother,” Regina argued. She knew a little bit about controlling mothers and how it was to be raised by them.

“Much like you, the Princess _loves_ her mother _despite_ the way she’s been raised,” Emma responded. “And as loathe as I am to admit it, this Snow White is not the Snow we or she knows,” she grunted. “The Mayor respects this Snow, thinks she’s a good person, and the Princess could use a little motherly love in her life. Merlin knows, Snow has enough built up for me that it needs to go somewhere or else she’s likely to explode.”

Regina couldn’t really argue that, but she wanted to. “But Snow? Won’t she try to keep Emma all princess-y and frilly?”

“Ava doesn’t seem to be confined to pink petticoats,” Emma pointed out. “Plus, I think today’s experience of seeing a different version of herself may go a long way to curing Snow of her more controlling impulses.” She shrugged. “And if there any problems, I can always offer her reminders.”

Regina had to concede that it could work. “And Emma will have the Mayor.”

“And Zelena.”

Regina chuckled, “Zelena’s influence should definitely equal out any wholesome expectations Snow may try to impose on the princess.” She frowned thinking of the redhead. “By the way, you never did tell me how you and Zelena know each other.”

The Dark One gulped.


	10. On to the Next Adventure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't necessarily how I wanted to end this, but the muse was not being very cooperative.  
> I truly appreciate all the hits, kudos, and comments. I hope you enjoyed reading.

“She wants to cut her hair.”

Regina blinked and calmly set her drink down when the Mayor slid into the booth opposite her. She was pretty sure she knew what she’d heard but asked anyway, “I beg your pardon.”

“The Princess,” the Mayor said as though her counterpart were slow. “She wants to cut her hair.”

Regina looked across the diner where the Princess was talking to Snow and Charming. The intro had been awkward but they seemed to be doing all right; Henry was flanking the Princess protectively and Zelena was easily within earshot. The girl had plenty of friends already. “I see." She returned her attention to the obviously bothered mayor. "And, I take it you don’t want her to?”

The Mayor sat back and muttered, “I like it long.” She eyed the pirate. “Don’t you?”

The Pirate Queen tried to think if her Emma had ever worn her hair short in all the time they’d been together. She wore it up or back a lot; one particularly hot summer she’d had a rather tough looking undercut. But short? No. “I do like it long,” she admitted, “but I imagine this is more of a rebellious thing. I’d guess being the proper princess she’s always had to be, Snow never let her cut it short.”

“Gods, you’re probably right." The Mayor slumped. "Mother never let me cut mine, and she wasn’t anything at all like the Princess' mother.”

Regina choked on her drink. The Mayor actually spoke of their mother with affection. “Did you get along with Mother?”

“Hmmm? Oh, yes, well I mean, once she got her heart back,” she answered off-handedly. She was distracted watching the Princess talk and laugh with Ruby.

“Mother didn’t have her heart?!” Regina slumped back in the booth, thinking about so many things. “Well, that certainly puts a different spin on things.” She looked back to the Mayor. “When did she get it back?”

“When I was fifteen,” she said, thinking. “She died shortly after I became queen, but she’d really become a great source of comfort and support for me.” She hesitated then asked, “I take it your version of our mother was not kind?”

“’Not kind’ is a nice way of putting it,” the Pirate said. She’d been forced to marry a king three times her age simply so her mother could have power. “I banished her through a looking glass on my wedding day.”

“Oh.” They both sipped their drinks. “Perhaps losing Zelena is what changed mother here,” the Mayor offered. “The Black Fairy stole the baby shortly after she was born. Mother looked for her and never found her; she didn’t tell me about Zelena until she was on her deathbed.” She chuckled lightly. “As it turned out, Zelena came calling a few years later.”

“And how did that go?”

“Explosive,” the Mayor admitted, grinning. “She came seeking revenge. Apparently, the story she got about her beginning in life was a far cry from the truth. The Black Fairy had hoped to use her against us. Luckily, we eventually got on the same page before there was too much destruction.”

“I must admit,” Regina said, “now that I know about Zelena, I think I’ll try to find her when Emma and I return to our realm.”

“You’re leaving?”

The Pirate was surprised by the Mayor’s surprise. “I think we’ll be back often, but this isn’t our world.” She smirked as she noticed the Dark One crouched in the corner talking with Ava and James. Nothing good could come from Emma conspiring with her siblings. “And I don’t think your little town here can really handle having four of us here all the time.”

The Mayor heard Ava squeal in delight and saw her fling her arms around the Dark One’s neck. She could only imagine what sort of trouble the little devil could get into with her older sister around. “Perhaps you’re right.” She glanced back at the Pirate and they shared a knowing look. “Perhaps it’s for the best.”

“And you’ll look after the Princess while we’re away?” the Pirate asked with a smirk.

“Of course,” she mock-glared at her counterpart. “You know that I’m fond of her.”

“Allow yourself to be more than fond,” Regina pressed. “I think you’ll be surprised at how wonderful the two of you could be together.”

“And the sex is outstanding!” Emma said, arriving at the side of their table and speaking loud enough for half the patrons in the diner to turn and look their direction, including the Princess. She quirked an eyebrow in question and the Mayor blushed.

Regina simply shook her head. “I can’t take you anywhere.”

“What?” Emma asked, the imp showing in her eyes. “You about ready to leave?”

“You’re leaving now?!” the Mayor asked as Regina stood up beside Emma.

“Wait, you’re leaving?” the Princess asked, drifting over.

“Aw, we haven’t even had a proper girls’ night yet,” Zelena said, joining them with Henry. Snow and Charming wisely hung back.

“This is unusual,” the Dark One muttered. “Usually, we’re being chased out of town.”

“Not now,” Regina said out the side of her mouth. Then she addressed the group. “It’s time we return to our ship before the crew wrecks it, but don’t worry, we’ll be back.”

The Mayor and the Princess walked out with them once they had said their goodbyes. Snow had nodded solemnly to the Dark One and Zelena had winked wickedly to Regina. They felt good about the chances that the former queen would no longer live a life alone.

“This isn’t the life I ever dreamed of having, but it’s everything I wanted,” the Princess said, giving the Dark One a hug. “I don’t know how I can ever thank you.”

“Never make a deal with a Dark One,” Emma warned her, “and fairies can’t be trusted.”

The Princess nodded solemnly. Regina chuckled and gave the Princess a hug. “Try not to make any rash decisions with all this newfound freedom.” She ran her hand through the long blonde waves of hair. “Maybe just try pulling it back or a new style before you cut it all off, yeah?”

The Princess laughed and agreed, then leaned in to whisper, “I could always get her to grow it back out for me.” She glanced over at the Mayor talking to Emma. “If I give her an excuse, she’ll fuss over me for hours.”

The Pirate Queen laughed. “Ask her to teach you magic. That requires plenty of patience and a lot of hands-on practice.”

Princess Emma curtsied.

“You gave me a son the first time we met,” Madam Mayor said to the Dark One, “and now you’ve given me a princess. I shudder to think what you’ll leave me with next time you visit.”

She hadn’t planned on giving the Mayor anything but once she said that Emma was immediately plotting. A puppy would drive Madam Mayor right up the wall. She grinned, “Well, the Princess isn’t yours yet.” She cocked an eyebrow. “You going to do something about that?”

Mayor Regina glanced over at the blonde talking to the Pirate Queen. “I may have a few ideas.” When the Princess caught her looking, she smiled then turned her attention back to the Dark One. “So, where are you off to now?”

The Dark One held out her hand for her queen as the Pirate and the Princess joined them. “I want to try and find a few Henrys. Make sure they’re doing all right and ensure that I haven’t left any others out there that aren’t taken care of.”

The Pirate Queen took the Dark One’s hand. “We’ve also discussed trying to find the Zelena in our realm. If I have a sister out there, I’d like to know her.”

The Mayor blinked at that possibility. “More than one Zelena in the world is a terrifying thought.” She loved her sister but the witch was a force to be reckoned with. “If you find her, I hope you won’t feel the need to bring her here.”

The Dark One giggled at the idea; the Mayor paled. Regina slapped Emma’s arm and reassured the Mayor. “We’ll do our best not to.”

“But no promises,” Emma added. If she couldn't bring another Zelena here, the Mayor was definitely getting a puppy. She might even find one waiting when she returned home today. “Do you have any allergies?”

“What?” the Mayor and the Pirate both stared at her. The Princess smirked.

“You know, like shellfish?” the Dark One clarified, “Pet hair? That sort of thing?”

“Noooo,” the Mayor said slowly, “why do you ask?”

“No reason.” Emma squeezed her Regina’s hand. “Ready to leave?”

The Pirate knew her Dark One was up to something, but she nodded and they said their final goodbyes before walking away from the diner. She waited until they were out of earshot before asking, “What are you up to, Dark One?”

“I think the Mayor might like to have a puppy.”

Regina’s eyes widened, thinking of the wonderfully ordered Mayor’s mansion. “Emma, no.”

“Maybe something energetic like a Jack Russell terrier.”

“No.”

“Or how about something powerful like a Siberian Husky?”

All Regina could think about was the Mayor’s black power suits covered in fur. “She will kill you.”

“She’ll have to find us first,” the Dark One laughed then raised her hand and the two pirates disappeared in a swirl of magic.


End file.
